[House Document 105-8]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]



105th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-8


 
           National Report Disabled American Veterans 1996


                     New Orleans Hilton Riverside,
                         New Orleans, Louisiana
                         July 27-August 1, 1996


         1996--NATIONAL REPORT, DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS--1996
                                     

105th Congress, 1st Session - - - - - - - - - - - House Document 105-8



                      DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS



                       75TH NATIONAL CONVENTION

                             COMMUNICATION

                                  from

                         THE NATIONAL ADJUTANT

                       DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

                              transmitting

   THE REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE ORGANIZATION'S 75th NATIONAL 
    CONVENTION, INCLUDING THEIR ANNUAL AUDIT REPORT OF RECEIPTS AND 
  EXPENDITURES AS OF DECEMBER 31, 1995--RECEIVED IN THE U.S. HOUSE OF 
  REPRESENTATIVES NOVEMBER 14, 1996, PURSUANT TO 36 U.S.C. 90i AND 44 
                              U.S.C. 1332




 January 7, 1997.--Referred to the Committee on Veterans' Affairs and 
                         ordered to be printed


                   U.S. CODE, TITLE 44, SECTION 1332


 national encampments of veterans' organizations; proceedings printed 
                         annually for congress


    The proceedings of the national encampments of the United 
Spanish War Veterans, the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the 
United States, The American Legion, the Military Order of the 
Purple Heart, the Veterans of World War I of the United States, 
Inc., the Disabled American Veterans, and the AMVETS (American 
Veterans of World War II), respectively, shall be printed 
annually with accompanying illustrations, as separate House 
documents of the session of the Congress to which they maybe 
submitted.
    [Approved October 2, 1968.]


                         LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL

                              ----------                              

                                Disabled American Veterans,
                                                  October 30, 1996.
Hon. Newt Gingrich,
Speaker of the House of Representatives,
Washington, DC.
    Dear Mr. Speaker: As business manager of the Disabled 
American Veterans, and as secretary of its National Convention, 
I hereby certify as to the authenticity of the reports and the 
proceedings of our National Convention, held in New Orleans, 
Louisiana, July 27-August 1, 1996, and submit them to you 
through the office of this organization located in Washington, 
DC, pursuant to the provisions of Public Law 186 of the 72d 
Congress, as amended, to be printed as a House document in 
accordance with the authorization of section 1332 of title 44, 
United States Code.
    The enclosed National Convention proceedings include an 
independent audit report of all receipts and expenditures as of 
December 31, 1995, as required by the provisions of section 3 
of the Public Law 88-504, approved August 30, 1964.
            Sincerely,
                                          Arthur H. Wilson,
                                                 National Adjutant.


                            C O N T E N T S

                               ----------

         JOINT OPENING SESSION, SUNDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 28, 1996

                                                                   Page
Call to Order, Commander Thomas A. McMasters III.................     1
Convention Chairman's Remarks....................................     3
Commander's Report...............................................     5
Address, President William J. Clinton............................     9
Address, Secretary of Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown...............    20
Introductions....................................................    24
Auxiliary Commander's Report.....................................    25
Presentation of Awards:
    Outstanding Auxiliary Member of the Year.....................    28
    Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year.....................    29
    George H. Seal Memorial......................................    31
    Sweepstakes Winner...........................................    33
Convention Committee Advisor Appointments........................    34
Recess...........................................................    34

         FIRST BUSINESS SESSION, MONDAY MORNING, JULY 29, 1996

Call to Order, Commander Thomas A. McMasters III.................    35
First Credentials Committee Report...............................    35
Adoption of Rules................................................    36
Adoption of Statement of Policy..................................    36
Adjutant's Report................................................    38
Membership Report and Awards.....................................    45
National Finance Committee Report................................    47
List of Delegates and Alternates for Convention Committees.......    71
Hospital and Voluntary Services Convention Committee Report......    77
Address, Congressman Steve Buyer.................................    85
Committee on Employment Report...................................    92
Recess...........................................................   103

        SECOND BUSINESS SESSION, MONDAY AFTERNOON, JULY 29, 1996

Call to Order, Commander Thomas A. McMasters III.................   103
Report of Washington Headquarters Executive Director.............   104
Written Reports:
    National Service Director....................................   108
    Recapitulation of Service Activities.........................   116
    National Director of Voluntary Services......................   147
    National Employment Director.................................   152
    National Legislative Director................................   156
Re Amendment to Convention Rules.................................   174
Presentation from Department of Louisiana........................   174
Committee on General Resolutions and Membership Report...........   174
Presentation of Employment Awards................................   189
Vietnam Veterans National Memorial Report........................   193
First Reading of Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws...........   197
Recess...........................................................   202

         THIRD BUSINESS SESSION, TUESDAY MORNING, JULY 30, 1996

Call to Order, Commander Thomas A. McMasters III.................   202
Credentials Report...............................................   203
Introductions and Remarks, National Order of Trench Rats.........   203
Presentation from Chapel of Four Chaplains.......................   204
Committee on Finance and Dues Report.............................   205
National Service Foundation Report...............................   206
Committee on Legislation and Veterans' Rights Report.............   224
Final Reading of Amendments to Constitution and Bylaws...........   247
Recess...........................................................   257

        FINAL BUSINESS SESSION, THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 1, 1996

Call to Order, Commander Thomas A. McMasters III.................   257
Remarks, President, Commanders and Adjutants Association.........   258
Remarks, National Order of Trench Rats...........................   258
Final Credentials Report.........................................   259
Committee on Nomination of National Officers Report..............   260
Nomination and Election of National Officers.....................   260
Newly Elected Officers Remarks...................................   263
Presentations....................................................   270
Announcement of New NEC Members..................................   270
Adjournment......................................................   271
  

                            INDEX OF MOTIONS                            
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Motion                 Page          Action          Page 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Accept commander's report........  .......  Carried............  .......
Adopt Rules......................  .......  Carried............  .......
Amend............................  .......  Carried............  .......
Adopt Policy Statement...........  .......  Carried............  .......
Accept Adjutant's report.........  .......  Carried............  .......
Accept Membership report.........  .......  Carried............  .......
Accept Finance Committee report,   .......  Carried............  .......
 etc.                                                                   
Admit into record list of          .......  Carried............  .......
 convention committees, etc..                                           
Adopt resolutions of Hospital and  .......  Carried............  .......
 Voluntary Services Committee.                                          
Adopt report and resolutions from  .......  Carried............  .......
 Employment Committee, etc.                                             
Adopt Rules as amended...........  .......  Carried............  .......
Adopt report of Committee on       .......  Carried............  .......
 General Resolutions and                                                
 Membership.                                                            
Adopt Resolution 58..............  .......  Lost...............  .......
Adopt Resolution 59..............  .......  Lost...............  .......
Adopt Resolution 76..............  .......  Lost...............  .......
Accept report of Vietnam Veterans  .......  Carried............  .......
 Memorial.                                                              
Adopt report of Committee on       .......  Carried............  .......
 Finance and Dues, etc..                                                
Accept Service Foundation report.  .......  Carried............  .......
Adopt report of Committee on       .......  Carried............  .......
 Legislation and Veterans' Rights.                                      
Adopt resolutions from                                                  
 Constitution and Bylaws                                                
 Committee:                                                             
    Number 197...................  .......  Carried............  .......
    Numbers 200 through 217......  .......  Carried............  .......
    Number 254...................  .......  Carried............  .......
    Number 218...................  .......  Carried............  .......
Discharge committee with vote of   .......  Carried............  .......
 thanks.                                                                
Adopt final credentials report...  .......  Carried............  .......
Accept report of Committee on      .......  Carried............  .......
 Nomination and Election of                                             
 Officers, etc.                                                         
Discharge Credentials Committee    .......  Carried............  .......
 Adjourn.                                                               
------------------------------------------------------------------------

  



                       NATIONAL OFFICERS 1996-97

                       DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

                           National Commander

   Gregory C. Reed, 6924 N. Fairfax Drive, #114, Arlington, VA 22213

                         Senior Vice Commander

  Harry R. McDonald, Jr., 6161 North Highway 393, Crestview, FL 32539

                      First Junior Vice Commander

       William D. Wiggins, 302 Starmont Drive, Danville, VA 24540

                      Second Junior Vice Commander

        Andrew A. Kistler, 802 Grant Street, Franklin, PA 16323

                      Third Junior Vice Commander

     Michael E. Dobmeier, P.O. Box 6811, Grand Forks, ND 58206-6188

                      Fourth Junior Vice Commander

      Richard Christopher, 6 Catalpa Street, Saugus, MA 01906-2931

                        National Judge Advocate

     Edward G. Galian, 200 Atlantic Avenue, #1, Lynbrook, NY 11563

                           National Chaplain

    Rev. Carl E. Bergstrom, 17 Brookmoor Road, Dover, NH 03820-5303

                        Past National Commander

  Thomas A. McMasters III, 11965 Steven Drive, Sterling Hts., MI 48312


                      NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

First district: Everett J. Nygard, Jr., 314 Otter River Road, 
        Templeton, MA 01468
Second district: Sal R. Tornatore, 170 W. 22nd St., Huntington 
        Station, NY 11746
Third district: David A. Schiapo, 65 Beacon Street, Cranston, 
        RI 02910
Fourth district: Grover Don Penn, 2116 Elder Drive, Wilmington, 
        DE 19808
Fifth district: Donald C. Graffius, 1606 Montier Street, 
        Pittsburgh, PA 15221
Sixth district: Josue N. Saez, Guadalupe 26, El Almo, Guaynabo, 
        PR 00969
Seventh district: Tommy R. Simms, 333 Hollywood Blvd. NW, Ft. 
        Walton Bch., FL 32548
Eighth district: Charles W. Mills, 2241 Edinburgh Drive, 
        Montgomery, AL 36116
Ninth district: Ronald L. Voegeli, 702 Battery Creek Road, 
        Beaufort, SC 29902
Tenth district: Roger L. Jansen, 4925 Butternut Drive, Holland, 
        MI 49424
Eleventh district: Nicholas J. Border, 7306 Kingsman-Nickerson 
        Road, Kinsman, OH 44428
Twelfth district: Richard R. Harris, 40154 Lakeview Avenue, 
        Antioch, IL 60002
Thirteenth district: Glen E. Vogel, Sr., P.O. Box 353, 
        Wolcottville, IN 46795
Fourteenth district: Harry VandeMore, 48402 292nd Street, 
        Hudson, SD 57034
Fifteenth district: Francis E. McLaskey, 3130 33rd Avenue SW, 
        Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Sixteenth district: Robert D. Salisbury, 2562 N. Courtland St., 
        Orange, CA 92867
Seventeenth district: Stanley L. Miller, 1102 E. Wood, 
        Carlsbad, NM 88220
Eighteenth district: Michael J. Smaydy, 321 S. Lynx Creek Road, 
        Prescott, AZ 86303
Nineteenth district: Fred G. Ruppert, 2352 Broadmoor Avenue, 
        Fairbanks, AK 99709
Twentieth district: William A. Bone, 205 Coventry Drive, 
        Hewitt, TX 76643
Twenty-first district: Adrian H. Hunt, 123 Apache Drive, 
        Searcy, AR 72143

        
        
                       NATIONAL OFFICERS 1995-96

                       DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS

                           National Commander

  Thomas A. McMasters III, 11965 Steven Drive, Sterling Hts., MI 48312

                         Senior Vice Commander

   Gregory C. Reed, 6924 N. Fairfax Drive, #114, Arlington, VA 22213

                      First Junior Vice Commander

  Harry R. McDonald, Jr., 6161 North Highway 393, Crestview, FL 32539

                      Second Junior Vice Commander

      William D. Wiggins,  302 Starmont Drive, Danville, VA 24540

                      Third Junior Vice Commander

        Andrew A. Kistler,  802 Grant Street, Franklin, PA 16323

                      Fourth Junior Vice Commander

    Michael E. Dobmeier,  P.O. Box 6811, Grand Forks, ND 58206-6188

                        National Judge Advocate

     Edward G. Galian, 200 Atlantic Avenue, #1, Lynbrook, NY 11563

                           National Chaplain

         Rev. Oscar I. Wilkie, 518 Houston, Muskogee, OK 74403

                        Past National Commander

     Donald A. Sioss, 11 Miller Woods Drive, Miller Place, NY 11764


                      NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

First district: Everett J. Nygard, Jr., 314 Otter River Road, 
        Templeton, MA 01468
Second district: George R. LePorte, 72 Oswego Street, 
        Baldwinsville, NY 13027
Third district: David A. Schiapo, 65 Beacon Street, Cranston, 
        RI 02910
Fourth district: Albert R. Fanslau, 26 E. Reading Avenue, 
        Pleasantville, NJ 07232
Fifth district: Donald C. Graffius, 1606 Montier Street, 
        Pittsburgh, PA 15221
Sixth district: Carl J. Carter, 5025 Illinois Avenue, NW, 
        Washington, DC 20011
Seventh district: Tommy R. Simms, 333 Hollywood Blvd. NW, Ft. 
        Walton Bch., FL 32548
Eighth district: John A. Bell, 547 Spryfield Road, Jackson, MS 
        39212
Ninth district: Ronald L. Voegeli, 702 Battery Creek Road, 
        Beaufort, SC 29902
Tenth district: Lowell G. McKeehan, 20360 Beatrice Street, 
        Livonia, MI 48152
Eleventh district: Nicholas J. Border, 7306 Kingsman-Nickerson 
        Road, Kinsman, OH 44428
Twelfth district: Dorothy R. Schilling 6205 Highway V, 
        Caledonia, WI 53108
Thirteenth district: Glen E. Vogel, Sr., P.O. Box 353, 
        Wolcottville, IN 46795
Fourteenth district: Victor C. Hass, P.O. Box 204, Bowbells, ND 
        48721
Fifteenth district: Francis E. McLaskey, 3130 33rd Avenue SW, 
        Cedar Rapids, IA 52404
Sixteenth district: Charles H. Demele, 38 San Felipe Court, 
        Salinas, CA 93901
Seventeenth district: Stanley L. Miller, 1102 E. Wood, 
        Carlsbad, NM 88220
Eighteenth district: Edwin K. Wise, 85-128 E. Ala Walua Street, 
        Waianae, HI 96792
Nineteenth district: Fred G. Ruppert, 2352 Broadmoor Avenue, 
        Fairbanks, AK 99709
Twentieth district: Earl D. Walker, P.O. Box 1492, Kingsland, 
        TX 78639
Twenty-first district: Adrian H. Hunt, 123 Apache Drive, 
        Searcy, AR 72143

                        PAST NATIONAL COMMANDERS                        
1921-22:                          Robert S. Marx, Cincinnati, Ohio      
                                   (deceased 1960)                      
1922-23:                          C. Hamilton Cook, Buffalo, New York   
                                   (deceased 1935)                      
1923-24:                          James A. McFarland, Dalton, Georgia   
                                   (decreased 1942)                     
1924-25:                          Frank J. Irwin, New York, New York    
                                   (deceased 1942)                      
1925-26:                          John W. Mahan, Bozeman, Montana       
                                   (deceased 1947)                      
1926-27:                          John V. Clinnin, Chicago, Illinois    
                                   (deceased 1955)                      
1927-28:                          William E. Tate, Atlanta, Georgia     
                                   (deceased 1949)                      
1928-29:                          Millard W. Rice, Minneapolis,         
                                   Minnesota (deceased 1980)            
1929-30:                          William J. Murphy, Santa Ana,         
                                   California (deceased 1931)           
1930-31:                          H.H. Weimer, Chicago, Illinois        
                                   (deceased 1955)                      
1931-32:                          E. Claude Babcock, Washington, D.C.   
                                   (deceased 1958)                      
1932-33:                          William Conley, Los Angeles,          
                                   California (deceased 1941)           
1933-34:                          Joe W. McQueen, Kansas City, Missouri 
                                   (deceased 1969)                      
1934-35:                          Volney P. Mooney, Jr., Los Angeles,   
                                   California (deceased 1945)           
1935-36:                          Marvin A. Harlan, El Paso, Texas      
                                   (deceased 1970)                      
1936-37:                          M. Froome Barbour, Cincinnati, Ohio   
                                   (deceased 1985)                      
1937-38:                          Maple T. Harl, Denver, Colorado       
                                   (deceased 1957)                      
1938-39:                          Owen Galvin, Minneapolis, Minnesota   
                                   (deceased 1956)                      
1939-40:                          Lewis J. Murphy, South Bend, Indiana  
                                   (deceased 1966)                      
1940-41:                          Vincent E. Schoeck, Detroit, Michigan 
                                   (deceased 1966)                      
                                  August 16, 1941-August 15, 1943:      
                                   Lawrence R. Melton, Dallas, Texas    
                                   (deceased 1978)                      
                                  August 15, 1943-September 20, 1943:   
                                   William J. Dodd, Jersey City, New    
                                   Jersey (deceased 1957)               
1943-44:                          James L. Monnahan, Minneapolis,       
                                   Minnesota (deceased 1980)            
1944-45:                          Milton D. Cohn, Buffalo, New York     
                                   (deceased 1968)                      
1945-46:                          Dow V. Walker, Newport, Oregon        
                                   (deceased 1957)                      
1946-47:                          Lloyd F. Oleson, Ventura, California  
                                   (deceased 1982)                      
1947-48:                          John L. Golob, Hibbing, Minnesota     
                                   (deceased 1976)                      
1948-49:                          Jonathon M. Wainwright, San Antonio,  
                                   Texas (deceased 1953)                
1949-50:                          David M. Brown, Akron, Ohio (deceased 
                                   1982)                                
1950-51:                          Boniface R. Maile, Grosse Pointe,     
                                   Michigan                             
1951-52:                          Ewing W. Mays, Little Rock, Arkansas  
                                   (deceased 1994)                      
1952-53:                          Floyd L. Ming, Bakersfield, California
                                   (deceased 1975)                      
1953-54:                          Howard W. Watts, Indianapolis, Indiana
                                   (deceased 1977)                      
1954-55:                          Alfred L. English, Shelbyville,       
                                   Tennessee (deceased 1987)            
1955-56:                          Melvin J. Maas, Chevy Chase, Maryland 
                                   (deceased 1964)                      
1956-57:                          Joseph F. Burke, Bayonne, New Jersey  
                                   (deceased 1970)                      
1957-58:                          Paul E. Frederick, Jr., Cincinnati,   
                                   Ohio                                 
1958-59:                          David B. Williams, Boston,            
                                   Massachusetts (deceased 1994)        
1959-60:                          Bill H. Fribley, Crestline, Kansas    
                                   (deceased 1994)                      
1960-61:                          William O. Cooper, Dallas, Texas      
                                   (deceased 1990)                      
1961-62:                          Francis R. Buono, Whitestone, New     
                                   York, (deceased 1977)                
1962-63:                          Peter L. Dye, Denver, Colorado        
1963-64:                          Douglas H. McGarrity, Allen Park,     
                                   Michigan (deceased 1986)             
1964-65:                          William G. Dwyer, San Diego,          
                                   California (deceased 1982)           
1965-66:                          Claude L. Callegary, Baltimore,       
                                   Maryland                             
1966-67:                          John W. Unger, Sr., Danville, Illinois
                                   (deceased 1970)                      
1967-68:                          Francis J. Beaton, Fargo, North Dakota
                                   (deceased 1969)                      
1968-69:                          Wayne L. Sheribon, Seattle, Washington
1969-70:                          Raymond P. Neal, Daly City, California
1970-71:                          Cecil W. Stevenson, Jonesboro,        
                                   Arkansas                             
1971-72:                          Edward T. Conroy, Bowie, Maryland     
                                   (deceased 1982)                      
1972-73-                          Jack O. Hicks, Larue, Ohio            
1973:74:                          John T. Soave, Detroit, Michigan      
                                   (deceased 1984)                      
1974-75:                          Walter T. Greaney, Jamaica Plain,     
                                   Massachusetts (deceased 1994)        
1975-76:                          Lyle C. Pearson, North Mankato,       
                                   Minnesota                            
1976-77:                          Frank J. Randazzo, East Meadow, New   
                                   York                                 
1977-78:                           Oliver E. Meadows, Godley, Texas     
1978-79:                          Billy O. Hightower, Grand Junction,   
                                   Colorado                             
1979-80:                          Paul L. Thompson, Baltimore, Maryland 
                                   (deceased 1993)                      
1980-81:                          Stan Pealer, Holts Summit, Missouri   
1981-82:                          Sherman E. Roodzant, Santa Ana,       
                                   California                           
1982-83:                          Edward G. Galian, New York, New York  
1983-84:                          Dennis A. Joyner, Apollo, Pennsylvania
1984-85:                          Chad Colley, Barling, Arkansas        
1985-86:                          Albert H. Linden, Jr., Camp Springs,  
                                   Maryland                             
1986-87:                          Kenneth G. Musslemann, Huntington     
                                   Beach, California                    
1987-88:                          Gene A. Murphy, Sioux Falls, South    
                                   Dakota                               
1988-89:                          Billy E. Kirby, Clifton, Texas        
1989-90:                          Vernon V. Cardosi, Saugus,            
                                   Massachusetts                        
1990-91:                          Joseph E. Andry, Westerville, Ohio    
1991-92:                          Cleveland Jordan, Washington, D.C.    
1992-93:                          Joseph C. Zengerle, Washington, D.C.  
1993-94:                          Richard E. Marbes, Green Bay,         
                                   Wisconsin                            
1994-95:                          Donald A. Sioss, Miller Place, New    
                                   York                                 
1995-96:                          Thomas A. McMasters III, Sterling     
                                   Heights, Michigan                    
                                                                        

 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 75TH NATIONAL CONVENTION OF THE DISABLED AMERICAN 
                    VETERANS HELD AT NEW ORLEANS, LA

                         July 27-August 1, 1996

                         JOINT OPENING SESSION

                             July 28, 1996

    The Joint Opening Session of the Disabled American Veterans 
and Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary convened in the Grand 
Ballroom of the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, New Orleans, 
Louisiana, Sunday afternoon, July 28, 1996, and was called to 
order at 1 p.m. by Commander Thomas A. McMaster, III.
    Commander Thomas A. McMaster III. I now call to order the 
75th National Convention of the Disabled American Veterans.
    Arthur H. Wilson, national adjutant, will read the call to 
convention.
    Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson. The Constitution and Bylaws of 
the Disabled American Veterans state that the supreme 
legislative powers of this organization shall be vested in an 
annual national convention composed of national officers and 
representatives of state departments and chapters.
    In accordance with these directives, I, Arthur H. Wilson, 
national adjutant, declare the 75th National Convention of the 
Disabled American Veterans to be convened at New Orleans, 
Louisiana 1 p.m., July 28th 1996.
    Consideration and disposition of business brought before 
this convention shall be conducted in accordance with the 
National Constitution and Bylaws now in force and such rules as 
this convention will adopt.
    Commander McMasters. Present Colors.
    [Presentation of Colors.]
    Commander McMasters. Ladies and gentlemen, our National 
Anthem.
    [Singing of National Anthem.]
    Commander McMasters. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me 
in giving the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of our country.
    [Pledge of Allegiance. Musical tribute to flag by Bob and 
Becky Myers. Video presentation.]
    Commander McMasters. Color Guard dismissed.
    [Dismissal of Color Guard.]
    Commander McMasters. I call on Reverend Oscar Wilkie, our 
national chaplain, for the invocation.
    Chaplain Oscar Wilkie. Comrades, will you join me in a 
moment of silence as we begin this national convention, in 
memory of all of those who perished on the TWA flight, the 
tragic death that occurred in Atlanta in the bombing, and the 
senseless killings around the world.
    Join me in a moment of remembrance for those who could not 
be here today, though they wish they could. They're somewhere, 
in the hospitals, at home, recuperating from injuries perhaps 
received in defense of this great country.
    Join me, if you will, in remembrance of all those widows, 
the widowers and the children of those who remain to make life 
after the loved one has gone on the receive their just reward.
    Join me for a moment in remembering all of those whose 
names are inscribed indelibly upon each one of our hearts, even 
though they may remain unspoken. May we have just a word of 
silence.
    [Moment of silence.]
    Chaplain Wilkie. It is indeed good, Father, that we can 
come and enjoy a moment of silence. Our lives are so lived with 
noise, and it seems that the onrush of sound sometimes 
obliterates. Your voice as it would speak to us in such times 
as these. But we know that voice is there, and it shrieks 
against the winds that may blow against us, and we hear that 
word of encouragement.
    How we thank You today for this great nation that You have 
given to us, this nation that was carved out of a wilderness by 
so many illustrious people across our history and by so many 
whose aims never made the history book, and yet whose labor and 
whose toil is still remembered; for the faith that enabled 
those pioneers to go ahead and to push westward and upward, 
even remembering the great dream called America and what 
America stands for.
    We do thank You for all of those, Father, who we remembered 
this morning in the memorial service for their families and for 
the leaders of this great nation.
    O Lord, we thank You for our President and for our 
Congress. Even though we may disagree sometime, yet we know 
that they are performing the duties that You have called upon 
them to perform, and we pray that You would imbue them with the 
competency for Your Divine wisdom that the decisions that they 
make will be just in the eyes of God and in the eyes of man.
    And now we thank You for this convention, for these people 
that have come to gather here to try to reason how that we can 
better serve those whom we are called to serve. We thank You 
for Your kindness and the good hand that has led us to this 
hour.
    We lift up our commanders, Commander Tom and Commander 
Barbara, as they lead us in these deliberations. Also be with 
them, Father, in such a fine and magnificent way that they'll 
be able to lead with candor, and that they'll be able to help 
us to foresee all of those things which You would have done in 
these days.
    Direct us, be near us, for we pray in Thy Great and Holy 
Name. Amen.
    Commander McMasters. Will you please be seated?
    Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in thanking the Navy 
Band of New Orleans. [Applause.] I guess I paused too long. 
They're from the Naval Support Activities under the direction 
of Chief Musician Joe Oakes. [Applause.]
    I would also like to thank the members of the Department of 
Massachusetts Color Guard for posting the Colors. [Applause.]
    And special thanks to Bob and Becky Myers for their musical 
tribute. [Applause.]
    A successful national convention hinges on the dedication 
of numerous men and women working cooperatively to make our 
annual gathering a special experience for all who attend. 
Commitment, experience, organization and limitless enthusiasm 
are the key elements to successfully planning and carrying out 
a tremendous national convention. Leading that work force is a 
monumental task.
    This year we are blessed with a national convention 
chairman whose enthusiasm is contagious, whose organization is 
on target all the way, whose commitment is second to none, and 
whose experience as national convention chairman in 1991 was 
just outstanding. That's why we welcomed the opportunity to 
have him chair the 75th National Convention of the Disabled 
American Veterans.
    A life member of Central Louisiana Chapter Number 7 and a 
DAV leader in every way, he has served as secretary of the 
Hospital and Voluntary Services Committee, chairman of the 
Constitution and Bylaws Committee and the Transportation 
Committee, chairman of the Louisiana Veterans Memorial 
Committee, commander of the DAV Department of Louisiana, 8th 
District alternate National Executive Committee member, and DAV 
Department of Louisiana judge advocate for the past three 
years.
    Please join me in welcoming a truly dedicated disabled 
American veteran, our national convention chairman, Paul 
Benoit. [Applause.]
    Mr. Paul Benoit. Thank you. Mr. Commander, Madam Commander, 
national officers of the Disabled American Veterans and the 
Auxiliary: Welcome to New Orleans, Louisiana. [Applause.] On 
behalf of Commander Bob Quattlebaum and the membership of the 
Department of Louisiana, we sincerely wish that your stay here 
will be productive, and that you will enjoy some of New Orleans 
hospitality and tradition.
    I would also like to add at this time a very sincere Cajun 
bien merci, than you, to President Bill Clinton for the giving 
of his time to come and speak to our organization and being 
here in my great state of Louisiana. [Applause.]
    First, I mentioned that we should be here to be productive 
for our great organization. You would not think that we would 
need an organization such as ours to defend and protect the 
rights of our military personnel and their families who undergo 
tragedies like the one that occurred on the 25th of June, 1996 
in Saudi Arabia. Nineteen U. S. servicemen, personnel, died, 
and 300 were injured. But we, the people here today, know how 
times go by and how some people forget.
    I also know of many members that would love to be here 
today but are unable, due to their physical disability. As we 
have done in the past and will do in the future, those of us in 
New Orleans, Louisiana will do what we have to do to aid and 
assist worthy wartime disabled veterans, their widows, their 
orphans and their dependents. After all, we are the Disabled 
American Veterans organization doing what we do best. 
[Applause.]
    The second reason you are here, hopefully, is to enjoy New 
Orleans hospitality and tradition. First, you must get the 
Cajun attitude. After the work is done, laissez les bon temps 
roullez, let the good times roll. [Applause.]
    Good times it can be, with good food, good music, riverboat 
ride, casino and French Quarter strolling.
    Another thing we like here is Mardi Gras. We can't wait to 
have Mardi Gras here, to dress in costumes, throw beads and 
enjoy life. Mardi Gras means Fat Tuesday. It occurs the Tuesday 
prior to Ash Wednesday in February.
    Now, some of you might not know that Art Wilson was once a 
national service officer in New Orleans, and he enjoys Mardi 
Gras. In fact, he enjoys Mardi Gras so much that he told us we 
couldn't wait till Tuesday, so we're going to have a Mardi Gras 
party Monday night. [Applause.]
    So on Monday night, please be our guest for Mardi Gras in 
July. The band will provide all types of Louisiana music, Mardi 
Gras, blues, Cajun and swamp pop. The delegation will dress in 
costume, and we have plenty of beads for all.
    As you walk around the hotel this week, you will notice 
some of our delegation wearing a green, orange or gold mask on 
their delegate's badge. The Louisiana delegation is using this 
method to identify themselves for all our out-of-state 
visitors. Should you have any questions or concerns, look 
around for these people, and maybe we can help.
    However, don't ask us about how to win at the casino 
because we'll ask you the same thing. [Laughter.]
    One last note. My wife made me wear this tie as a reminder 
to leave some wise words with all of you. For people who can't 
see the tie, it has a large bottle of Tabasco sauce and an 
alligator. The wise word is this: Have a hot time in Louisiana, 
but beware of the gators on Bourbon Street.
    Thank you so much. [Applause.]
    [Whereupon, Senior Vice-Commander Gregory C. Reed assumed 
the chair.]
    Senior Vice-Commander Gregory C. Reed. Each year, it's the 
pleasure of the national senior vice-commander to introduce the 
national commander for the purpose of presenting his report to 
the convention. This year, it is truly my honor to introduce a 
man who embodies the finest traits of the DAV.
    After his election to national commander, he embraced the 
inspiring mission of the DAV to build better lives for all of 
our nation's disabled veterans and their families. This was the 
task of his office, and he diligently dedicated himself to that 
mission.
    Through his capable leadership, wise counsel and abundant 
compassion, the DAV has grown stronger as an organization. Yes, 
we are indeed fortunate to have a leader like National 
Commander Thomas A. McMasters III.
    A Michigan native, Tom is a combat-disabled Vietnam 
veteran. He joined the U.S. Army in 1969 and served with the 
14th Brigade's ``Golden Dragons,'' and the 10th Cavalry's 
``Buffalo Soldiers.'' Tom was wounded while serving with the 
14th Infantry Division in Vietnam. During a combat mission in 
the Central Highlands, while making his way through tall 
elephant grass, he stepped into a booby trap and was stabbed in 
the right leg by a punji stake.
    Following his discharge in 1971, Tom attended Macomb County 
Community College, graduating with a degree in marketing in 
1974. A successful entrepreneur, he operates a small business 
near Sterling Heights, Michigan.
    Tom is a life member of DAV Chapter Number 129 in Utica, 
Michigan. Since he joined the DAV in 1972, he has held nearly 
every elected office in his chapter and department, including 
department commander in 1988. On the national level, he was 
elected 3rd junior vice-commander, 1st junior vice-commander 
and senior vice-commander before being elected our national 
commander in Las Vegas, Nevada, last year.
    It has also been my pleasure to know the McMasters family. 
Tom's wife, Sandi, is a joy to know, as well as his children, 
Thomas IV, Krysten and Lauren.
    I could spend many hours recounting all that is fine and 
honorable about Tom, but time is very short today. So let me 
leave you with this: Character and quality make the DAV a great 
organization. These same traits make Tom McMasters an exemplary 
DAV national commander. He is a warm and caring human being, 
and it has been my pleasure to serve with him.
    I am honored today to ask everyone to please join me in 
welcoming a friend to all disabled veterans and their families, 
our friend, DAV National Commander Tom McMasters. [Rising 
applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Greg, for those very kind 
words of introduction, and thank you for the support that you 
and all of the other line officers have given me over the past 
year. My thanks as well to Auxiliary Commander Barb Hicks, the 
Auxiliary's line officers, National Adjutants Art Wilson and 
Maria Tedrow, their staffs at our headquarters facilities in 
Cincinnati, Washington and across the nation. My thanks to our 
chapter and department leaders, our HSCs, and most important of 
all, our DAV and Auxiliary members and our volunteers.
    You've given me a great year, a really tremendous year, an 
incredible adventure, and I will never forget everything you've 
meant to me as we've traveled through this year together. Thank 
you. [Applause.]
    Douglas MacArthur said, ``In war, you win or lose, live or 
die, and the difference is just an eyelash.'' I'm grateful that 
I lived, I truly am. Maybe that's why I feel so strongly about 
those who died in my war, the war in Vietnam, or the wars that 
came before my time, the World Wars, Korea, or in all the 
military actions that came after my years in service, not only 
the Gulf War, but all the fire Americans have faced from Beirut 
to Bosnia.
    Often I wonder, how do I keep faith with all those brave 
men and women who served and died? What can I do as one who was 
fortunate to come home to family and friends, even if wounded 
in body and soul? The answer is always the same, the great 
spiritual truth that lies at the heart of the DAV: We best 
honor by serving the living. This is what defines the DAV.
    I happened to pick up some recruiting material from another 
veterans' organization and noticed that veterans' legislation 
was the last topic mentioned in the organization's recruiters' 
kit and the second-to-the-last thing mentioned in their 
membership recruiting brochure. I felt a little disconcerted, a 
little disappointed, but then I realized that other 
organizations are free to define their mission any way it 
wishes. They aren't required to mirror the DAV. It's obvious 
the veterans' organization whose printed material I picked up 
sees itself as a vehicle through which veterans can serve their 
community in general, and that's okay.
    However, this situation points out how much we need the DAV 
with its tightly focused mission, zeroing in on service to and 
representation of America's disabled veterans and their 
families. Our members and our volunteers are out there day 
after day helping their fellow veterans as their first 
priority. Our NSOs are representing those veterans as 
individuals before the VA as their first priority. Our 
Washington staff represents us before the government as their 
first priority.
    In this, we are different from other veterans' groups, and 
in this we excel, providing the finest service and 
representation available to disabled veterans from any source 
anywhere in America. [Applause.]
    We saw the results of DAV excellence during the past year. 
The thrill of victory will always run down my spine when I 
remember the way we absolutely crushed a congressional attempt 
to deny benefits to thousands of incompetent veterans. Not only 
that, we fended off a great deal of damage to veterans' 
programs in many other areas as well. And we may yet get a 
decent fiscal year 1997 budget for veterans out of Congress and 
across the desk of the President.
    Dave Gorman, our executive director of the Washington 
Headquarters, will cover the highlights in his report tomorrow.
    I just want to say at this juncture that I'm proud of the 
DAV. We've done some great work over the past 12 months, and 
it's been a joy to see. But we still have our problems, don't 
we? And if others don't have veterans' legislation right up 
there at the top of their agenda, we in the DAV must remain 
particularly vigilant.
    An example of why I say this came up just a couple of weeks 
ago, as we prepared to come to this convention, an example I 
still find difficult to fathom. The rumor was out, and it had 
some pretty credible sources, that a group of United States 
senators were thinking of introducing legislation based on some 
ideas that surfaced in a computer game. The game was called 
``Reinventing America,'' and it was played on the Internet.
    The folks who played the game came up with some stellar 
ideas, like legalizing drugs, killing Social Security, means 
testing Medicare. Some other ideas, much closer to home for us 
in the DAV, include abolishing the VA network of hospitals, 
privatizing the facilities where feasible and closing them 
where not feasible, means testing veterans' benefits and 
selling off the VA benefits program to the insurance industry.
    A news release on the results of this childish exercise 
boldly proclaimed that the American people were telling 
Congress how to balance the budget. The American people my 
foot! [Applause.] This was the opinion of a few yuppies, 
sipping Scotch in their up-scale suburban dens, bored with 
``Seneca Hedgehog'' and with nothing better to do than play 
with their computers. [Applause.]
    We in the DAV know how the American people feel. In a 
recent survey cited in DAV Magazine, they stated their mind 
quite clearly. Ninety-six percent say the government should 
continue providing disability and death benefits. Eighty-eight 
percent want the government to continue providing health care 
to veterans, and the only needed changes they mentioned were 
improvement in the care provided.
    Three-fourths of them say veteran's program funding should 
be increased to keep pace with inflation, and they flatly 
reject cutting those programs in order to balance the budget. 
That's how the American people feel about our nation's 
obligations to its veterans. [Applause.]
    And any legislator who wants to set public policy by 
computer games better pay attention. Our elected officials were 
sent to Washington by a nation of people who love their 
veterans, who want their veterans treated with dignity and 
respect. No congressman or senator was sent to Capitol Hill to 
walk on the men and women who fought America's wars and spit on 
the sacrifices they made. [Applause.]
    That brings me back to something I've been saying all year. 
When we're dealing with our elected officials, our role is to 
educate, educate, educate. Now, let me repeat that. When we're 
dealing with our congressmen and our senators, our job is to 
educate, educate, educate. [Applause.]
    Public policy by computer games. We do live in a mixed-up 
world, don't we? A world where its's okay for an art museum to 
force visitors to walk on the American flag, and it's okay to 
write off the nation's obligation to its veterans as if that 
were nothing but a bad debt.
    As I think about the world we live in, it makes me realize 
once again the obligation we in the DAV have to the men and 
women who are serving in our armed forces today. Not too long 
ago, I read a newspaper article about a man and a woman who 
were both in the Reserves and both called up for active duty at 
the same time. They went. Of course they went. These were young 
people who believe in America, in duty and in honor, some think 
unusual traits in today's society.
    But while they were gone, doing their country's bidding, 
their financial situation got very tight, making it tough to 
meet their mortgage payments. They had to ask Grandma to take 
care of the kids. The list of their sacrifices, what they paid 
out personally to do what they saw as their patriotic duty went 
on and on.
    We owe these two people our allegiance. We owe this good 
and brave couple our loyalty. We owe them the benefit of our 
services when they come home from duty. And we owe them 
representation of their interests before their government. What 
I'm trying to say is this: There will be a demand for DAV 
service long into the future. We must build the foundation of 
that service today.
    National Adjutant Art Wilson will talk to you tomorrow 
about one very important way in which the DAV is working to 
build a strong network of chapter and department services. I 
won't get into details right now. But I will take this 
opportunity to thank the Department of Colorado and the DAV 
National Service Foundation for their leadership and their 
foresight.
    Another way in which we need to look toward the future is 
in the generational transition our organization faces today. 
Throughout my term in office, I have stressed the need for my 
generation, those who served in the years of Vietnam, to get 
more deeply involved in their chapters. Over and over again, 
I've emphasized the need to activate those who served and 
became disabled during the Gulf War and other recent times of 
armed conflict.
    That message was in my acceptance speech last summer when I 
was elected national commander. And I want to end my term with 
the same plea to our younger members. Can we get these younger 
veterans to take a greater role? I think we can. One Midwestern 
chapter elected a disabled Persian Gulf veteran as its 
commander during the past year. He got on the phone and started 
calling other members who were disabled in the post-Vietnam 
years, and there were two Gulf War veterans at the next 
meeting. Those two split the phone list, and they got a third 
post-Vietnam veteran to come to the following meeting.
    Things like this are happening in some of your chapters 
where there are people willing to do the work. For example, my 
own chapter has had a Persian Gulf veteran as its chaplain. It 
goes to show, when a chapter is willing to show the interest in 
its members, its members are showing a greater interest in the 
DAV. Let's keep that going. [Applause.]
    You can bet the national organization is moving heavily in 
that direction. What a pleasure it is to see all the younger 
veterans coming out of our NSO Training Academy in Denver. I 
congratulate Art Wilson and his staff for their foresight and 
their keen commitment to building the future leadership of the 
DAV.
    In closing, I want to thank all of you for giving me this 
opportunity to serve you. This year has marked my life forever, 
and I hope you feel that my service to you has been worthy. 
You're the best people in the world. [Applause.] You're the 
best people in the world. You're the volunteers; you're the 
people who make the DAV work, and I'm so proud of you and the 
DAV. [Rising applause.]
    Senior Vice-Commander Reed. I need to entertain a motion to 
accept the commander's report.
    [Motion made from the floor.]
    Senior Vice-Commander Reed. Do I have a second on the 
motion?
    [Motion seconded from the floor.]
    Senior Vice-Commander Reed. You've heard it. All those in 
favor, say Aye. Motion carried.
    [Whereupon, Commander McMasters resumed the chair.]
    Commander McMasters. Ladies and gentlemen, it gives me 
great pleasure to introduce our next very special guest. Bill 
Clinton was sworn in as the 42nd President of the United States 
on January 20th, 1993.
    Before being elected to the presidency, he served as 
governor of Arkansas for five terms, holding that position for 
longer than all but one of his predecessors. He also served as 
chairman of the Democratic Commission in 1990-91, the National 
Governors Association in 1987, the Education Commission of the 
States in 1986-87, and the Lower Mississippi Delta Development 
Commission in 1989-90.
    A fifth-generation Arkansan, President Clinton was born in 
Hope, Arkansas on August 19th, 1946. He received a bachelor's 
degree from Georgetown University in 1968 and a law degree from 
Yale University in 1973.
    President Clinton began his political career in 1974 with 
an unsuccessful campaign for Congress. Two years later, he was 
elected Attorney General of Arkansas, a post he held for a 
single term before being elected Governor in 1978. He lost a 
reelection bid in 1980, but was returned to office in 1982 and 
served until his election to the presidency in 1992.
    The President is married to Hillary Rodham Clinton, and 
they have a teenage daughter, Chelsea. [Applause] The President 
is an avid reader, enjoys golf and jogging, and plays the 
saxophone. [Applause.]
    And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is indeed a great honor 
and a privilege to present the Honorable Bill Clinton, 
President of the United States. [Rising applause.]
    President William J. Clinton. Thank you. Thank you very 
much. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you for the 
exuberant welcome. I want to thank the ladies of the Auxiliary 
for leading the applause for Hillary. That was a nice thing to 
do. [Applause.] Thank you very much. That was a very nice 
thing.
    I want to thank Commander McMasters for that introduction. 
It's been so long, I'd forgotten I'd done some of those things. 
[Laughter.] And he mentioned that I was a saxophone player. I 
think we have a Navy Band over there. I want to thank the Navy 
Band. Thank you for being here and for playing. [Applause.]
    I'll always laugh any time someone says I'm a saxophone 
player now because a couple of weeks ago, Colonel John 
Bourgeious, the commander of the United States Marine Band, the 
President's own, retired as one of the longest serving 
conductors of the Marine Band.
    And he did a television interview on national television in 
which he asked about my saxophone playing, and having sworn an 
oath to truth, he said that I was adequate. [Laughter.] And 
painfully I admit that that is about all he could say. And 
that's why I'm here today in this position rather than playing 
for you in your entertainment. [Laughter.]
    I'm delighted to be here with Commander McMasters; with 
your senior vice-commander, Gregory Reed; Barbara Hicks, your 
Auxiliary national commander; Art Wilson, your national 
adjutant; the other officers of your distinguished 
organization, and with all of you.
    I'm glad to be joined today by Secretary Jesse Brown. 
[Applause.] You know, the first time I realized that you would 
cheer like that--I love to kid Jesse, and I was kidding him on 
the way in, and I said, ``You think they give that kind of 
reaction because they love you so much or because they're glad 
I took you off of their hands?'' [Laughter.] I think it's the 
former, and I think you should.
    I'm also delighted to be joined today by a number of state 
officials from the State of Louisiana, and by Congressman Bill 
Jefferson and Congressman Cleo Fields. I thank them for coming. 
[Applause.]
    Ladies and gentlemen, as veterans who have given so much to 
defend our country, you know what it is personally to face an 
enemy. Today we have an enemy it is difficult to face, because 
the enemy is so often hidden, killing at random, surfacing only 
to perform cowardly acts. Their aim is to demoralize us as a 
people and to spread fear into everyday life. We must not let 
them do that. As Americans, we can and must join together to 
defeat terrorism wherever it strikes and whoever practices it. 
[Applause.]
    We all are outraged by what happened in the Centennial 
Olympic Park in Atlanta. And we all admire the athletes, the 
thousands of volunteers, the tens of thousands of fans who made 
a strong statement to the world yesterday when they showed up 
and carried on the Olympics, saying that they would not be 
intimidated by terrorism, and that no terrorist could kill the 
Olympic spirit. [Applause.]
    What we saw yesterday was a symbol of an emerging consensus 
among all responsible nations and freedom-loving people 
everywhere that we have to work closely together to stop the 
spread of terrorism. We know from the Tokyo Subway to the 
streets of Tel Aviv, to the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia where 
we lost 19 of our fine Air Force personnel, that terrorism is a 
problem that knows no boundaries.
    We have learned here so painfully in America, from the 
World Trade Center to Oklahoma City, that attacks from 
terrorists can be homegrown or can be generated in other lands. 
We know that nations are beginning to understand that there is 
no place that is safe when any place is vulnerable to 
terrorists.
    Not very long ago after the upsurge of terrorist attacks in 
Israel, we had a remarkable meeting of 29 nations at Sharm el-
Sheikh in Egypt where, for the first time, 13 Arab states 
condemned terrorism in Israel. It was the beginning of wisdom, 
because, as the Saudis have seen, there is no nation which can 
hide from terrorism unless we all recognize that the rules of 
civilized people do not permit it to be practices.
    The recent meeting of the G-7 nations in France produced a 
significant increase in international measures to cooperate 
against terrorism. And this week, following up on that, we will 
have a very important conference in Paris, France, involving 
those nations with high-level representatives to deal with the 
questions that terrorism presents us.
    Terrorists are often supported by states. And states that 
sponsor or permit terrorism, including Iraq, Iran, Libya and 
Sudan, and any others, must face strong sanctions. We all have 
to say we cannot live with this; it is wrong. People must seek 
to resolve their differences by ways other than killing 
innocent civilians. [Applause.]
    This year I signed into law an anti-terrorism act which 
made terrorism a federal offense, expanded the role of the FBI 
in solving these crimes, and imposed the death penalty for 
terrorism. As strong as the bill was, it did not give our law 
enforcement officials some of the powerful tools I had 
recommended, because they wanted and needed them, including 
increased wiretap authority for terrorists who are moving from 
place to place. Where they are flexible, so must we be. And 
chemical markets, often called taggets, for the most common 
explosives, black and smokeless powder, so that we can track 
down those who make bombs that kill innocent people.
    This morning I was very encouraged to hear the Speaker of 
the House, Mr. Gingrich, express a willingness to consider 
these tougher measures. I have asked the Speaker; Majority 
Leader, Senator Trent Lott; the leaders of the Democratic 
minority, Senator Daschle and Mr. Gephardt; and the FBI 
director, Louis Freeh, to come to the White House tomorrow to 
help to agree on a package that will provide these additional 
protections against terrorism and any other measures we need to 
take to increase the protection of the American people. 
[Applause.]
    We will continue to do whatever is necessary to give law 
enforcement the tools they need to find terrorists before they 
strike and to bring them swiftly to justice when they do. This 
week I announced new measures aimed at increasing airport 
security, increasing baggage searches and screening, to tighten 
passenger checks, to plan the deployment of the latest x-ray 
technologies.
    I said then and I will say again, I am well aware that 
these new security measures will increase inconvenience and may 
even carry a modest increased cost to the air-traveling public. 
But this inconvenience is a small price to pay for better peace 
of mind when our loved ones board a plane. These measures went 
into effect immediately.
    And so, my fellow Americans, we have opened up three fronts 
against terrorism. We're increasing international efforts to 
ensure that terrorists will have no place to plan or hide their 
operations. We're making use of expanded anti-terrorism powers 
at home, including the death penalty. And we are tightening 
airport security. We will continue to expand our efforts on all 
three fronts against terrorism.
    I want to remind you that we have had some results. We have 
seen a record number of terrorists captured and convicted. We 
have thwarted a number of planned terrorist attacks, including 
a serious one against the United Nations and one against the 
United States airlines flying out of the West Coast over the 
Pacific. We are keeping the heat on terrorist organizations and 
those who would support them.
    But I would remind you that every death is one death too 
many. As we have seen now over many, many years, from the 
struggles of our allies, as well as from those we have faced 
recently, that this is a long, hard fight. But if we work 
together, this is challenge we can and will meet. It may well 
be the most significant security challenge of the 21st century 
to the people of the United States and to civilized people 
everywhere. And the veterans of the United States, I know, will 
support our country being as strong and tough and smart and 
steadfast as it takes to get the job done. [Applause.]
    Now, let me continue by saying to you that when I ran for 
President, I promised the veterans of America I would appoint a 
true advocate as Secretary of Veterans Affairs. I found that 
person among your ranks. Jesse Brown honed his skills while 
serving as executive director of the DAV. He and his deputy, 
Hershel Gober, who is also here with me today, I believe, make 
up one of the finest leadership teams in the entire Federal 
Government. [Applause.]
    I can tell you this: Not only in public but in private, in 
every meeting on any subject, they are consistently committed 
to a better life for all veterans. And I thank them for their 
service. [Applause.]
    I'm also honored to join you in celebrating three-quarters 
of a century of service to your country. You are the best 
representatives of what I'd like to talk about today: the duty 
we owe to our veterans, the duty we owe to each other and to 
our children, the duty we owe to the rest of the world and to 
our future. We owe a duty to all of you, of course, not only 
for your bravery and sacrifice, but for all you continue to do 
for each other, your families and our country.
    Last year we celebrated the 50th anniversary of World War 
II. Many of you fought in that great struggle and put your 
lives on the line for freedom. Your country owes you a debt of 
gratitude we can never repay. Any I can honestly say one of the 
most humbling honors of my life was representing the United 
States at those ceremonies in 1994 and 1995.
    But I want to say again to you, to every American who 
served in World War II, including the Republican candidate for 
President, Senator Bob Dole: Thank you for your service, thank 
you for your sacrifice, thank you for your courage. We're still 
around because of you. [Applause.]
    And to all who have served since, in Korea and Vietnam, in 
the Persian Gulf, in Bosnia, in peacetime as well as wartime. 
America thanks you, too, and so do freedom-loving people all 
around the world.
    Our tradition of service, of course, extends beyond the 
battlefield. This is also the 50th anniversary of the VA 
Voluntary Service Programs' involvement of the DAV. Last year 
you donated more volunteer hours at VA hospitals around the 
country than any other organization. [Applause.]
    I want to congratulate your Volunteers of the Year, whom I 
had the privilege to meet just a moment ago, Tillman Rutledge 
and Dorothy Marie Waters. They are great examples of what you 
stand for. Thank you. Thank you. [Applause.]
    You have done your duty to America, and America must do its 
duty to you. Secretary Brown and I recognize a simple truth: 
When men and women leave the service, we must not leave them. 
In keeping our veterans' commitments, our commitments to our 
veterans, to help them make the most of their own lives does 
not only help veterans and their families, it's made America a 
better and stronger place.
    For education to employment, from buying a home to getting 
quality medical care, our veterans deserve our nation's 
support, and when we give it, our nation is better off. For the 
past three and a half years, that is what we have done.
    Even as we cut government spending to reduce the deficit 
and move toward a balanced budget, I have asked for a billion-
dollar increase in funding for the VA, more than half for 
medical care and discretionary programs, including funds for a 
new hospital and nursing home in Brevard County, Florida and a 
replacement hospital at Travis Air Force Base in California. 
[Applause.]
    We are committed to keeping the VA health care system 
strong into the 21st century, and we know that requires us to 
carry out a dramatic restructuring that will improve the 
quality of care and make our hospitals more patient-centered 
and less bureaucratic. Last year I sent to Congress legislation 
that will allow us to simplify the complex and arcane 
eligibility rules and improve access to care at VA hospitals. 
[Applause.] I am pleased that Congress is beginning to act on 
this important proposal, and I hope they will get a bill to me 
this year.
    Very soon we will submit legislation for a pilot project to 
allow Medicare-eligible veterans to obtain treatment at a VA 
facility and to have the costs reimbursed by Medicare. 
[Applause.]
    I also want to make special mention of the extraordinary 
care that is provided by our veterans facilities to people with 
spinal cord injuries, and my commitment to continue the work 
and research and care in this important area. Recently, after a 
visit with Christopher Reeve, I was pleased to announce that we 
are increasing our research commitment $10 million a year in 
this year.
    And I hope all of you noticed just a few days ago that we 
finally are beginning to show some incredible results, where 
nerve transplants from the ribs to the spinal cord of 
laboratory animals have succeeded in giving laboratory animals 
some mobility in their limbs again. We can do better on this, 
and we have to keep going until we have some real success. 
[Applause.]
    We have also reached out to veterans service organizations, 
appointing veterans as delegates to the White House Conference 
on Aging and the Presidential Delegation to Vietnam. We 
established the first ever inter-agency veterans policy groups 
to coordinate and spur progress on issues of concern to 
veterans and military organizations.
    One such issue for more than two decades has been the 
suffering of our nation's Vietnam veterans who were exposed to 
Agent Orange. [Applause.] In May, I announced that Vietnam 
veterans with prostate cancer and peripheral neuropathy are 
entitled to disability payments based on their exposure to 
Agent Orange. Just this week I sent to Congress legislation to 
provide an appropriate remedy for children of Vietnam veterans 
who suffer from spina bifida. [Applause.]
    We have also responded aggressively to Persian Gulf 
illnesses. [Applause.] As the First Lady was traveling around 
the country talking about health care to people all over 
America, she kept coming back to the White House with stories 
of people who had served in the Persian Gulf conflict who had 
difficulties that were otherwise inexplicable.
    She got very involved, even emotionally involved, with some 
of the families, and she kept hammering on me that there had to 
be an explanation for this, and there was no other conceivable 
explanation for some of these instances of difficulties.
    She encouraged me to appoint a Presidential Advisory 
Committee on Gulf War veterans illnesses. I did that and 
charged them to leave no stone unturned in finding the cause of 
the illnesses and improving care available to Persian Gulf 
veterans. Meanwhile, we have made available for the first time 
ever compensation to the victims of undiagnosed illnesses who 
served in the Gulf War. [Applause.] I think they did the right 
thing there.
    One other area of endeavor is especially important to me, 
improving the contributions of all of our veterans to the 
maintenance of their own lives and their families and our 
communities. Today, as we celebrate the sixth anniversary of 
the Americans with Disabilities Act, I want to reiterate a 
pledge I made in 1992. Our disability policy should be based as 
a nation on three simple principles: inclusion, independence 
and empowerment. [Applause.]
    I know how hard you fought, along with others in the 
disability community, for the passage of this important 
legislation. We've made vigorous laws protecting all people 
with disabilities a top priority. We'll continue to do so until 
all the barriers come down. Consistent with that commitment, my 
budget for 1997 proposes an increase in the resources available 
to enforce the Americans With Disabilities Act.
    One of the main objectives of the act is to improve 
employment possibilities for people with disabilities. 
Unemployment among disabled veterans in particular is still too 
high. I am pleased that Ron Drach, DAV's employment director, 
is serving as vice-chair of the President's Committee on 
Employment of People With Disabilities. I thank him for his 
hard work to turn those employment numbers around. And we 
should all be grateful that he is on the job. [Applause.]
    Beyond the duty we owe to our veterans, there are certain 
duties we all owe to each other and to our country if our 
children are to live in a 21st century that is full of peace 
and possibility. First, we have to give the American dream of 
opportunity to everyone who is willing to work for it. That 
means we have to have an economy that is strong and growing, 
that produces good jobs with growing incomes.
    When I became President, I was worried about the drift in 
our economy and the increasing divisions within it. We've put 
in place an aggressive strategy: To reduce the deficit, because 
that would get interest rates down and spur private investment, 
and remove a burden from future generations; to increase trade 
so that we could sell more American products and services 
around the world in a global economy; and to invest in our 
people and their potential so that everyone could participate 
in this global economy in a positive way over the long run.
    We invested in education, in how to protect the environment 
while growing the economy, in transportation, in research and 
technology, in defense conversion to help those communities 
that had helped us to win the Cold War so that they wouldn't be 
left out in the cold. We even lowered the average closing cost 
for first-time home buyers by a thousand dollars so young 
families could start getting in homes again instead of just 
having a distant dream. [Applause.]
    It's been a remarkable turnaround in these last three and a 
half years. The deficit was lowered from $290 billion a year 
when I became President. It will be $117 billion this year, a 
60 percent reduction. It's the first time since John Tyler was 
President in the 1840s that an administration has reduced the 
deficit four years in a row. And I'm proud of that. [Applause.]
    I have to tell you, by the way, that my staff is pleading 
with me to stop using that statistic because John Tyler was not 
reelected. [Laughter.] But still it sounds great, because it's 
true and it's important.
    Our economy has produced ten million new jobs, 3.7 million 
new home owners, eight million home owners who've refinanced 
their mortgages at lower interest rates. Home ownership is at a 
15-year high. Exports are at a record. For three years in a 
row, we've had a record number of new small businesses formed 
in America. And for the first time in a decade, incomes are 
actually going up for average American working people again. 
This is important. It matters. [Applause.]
    Veterans' employment. Veterans' unemployment has dropped by 
nearly a third from 7.2 percent to 4.9 percent in January of 
1996. Six million veterans have received training and job 
search assistance through the Department of Labor in the last 
three and a half years. Two million now have jobs. We are 
clearly moving in the right direction.
    We have other responsibilities as well. I want to just 
mention a couple. One is heavily on my mind at this moment. We 
have a responsibility to make our streets and our schools and 
our neighborhoods safer. The United States cannot tolerate the 
rates of crime and violence which have come to be almost 
commonplace in our country in the last several years. We have 
to intensify our efforts to reduce crime.
    The deaths of two police officers within a 24-hour period 
right here in New Orleans last week painfully drove that point 
home to everyone who knew about them. I had the opportunity to 
meet with their families just before coming in here, and I want 
to personally offer my condolences to the families of Officers 
Joey Thomas and Chris McCormick, who died while protecting the 
citizens of this city. They, too, were patriots who paid the 
ultimate price. And I know you join me in praying for their 
families. [Applause.]
    In the past three and a half years, we have tried to change 
the nation's approach to crime from rhetoric to action. We've 
had a clear strategy: Look at what works and make it happen 
everywhere. When I became President, to be perfectly frank, 
even though we had a high crime rate, there were cities all 
over the country that had already begun to lower their crime 
rate. And I went to those places and asked them how they were 
doing it.
    It was obvious to me what was going on. They were putting 
more police on the street, out from behind the cars, out from 
behind the desk, walking the streets, getting to know kids, 
getting to know neighbors, working with them, preventing crime 
as well as catching criminals more quickly.
    I asked them what they needed, and they told me, and that 
became the Crime Bill that we passed in 1994: 100,000 police on 
the street, a ban on assault weapons, tougher punishment for 
people who are serious criminals, and prevention programs to 
help kids stay out of crime in the first place. We also passed 
the Brady Bill that kept 60,000 felons, fugitives and stalkers 
from buying handguns, and there wasn't a single hunter that 
lost his or her hunting weapons. So we did the right thing, and 
for four years in a row, crime has been coming down in the 
United States. We can be proud of that. [Applause.]
    But it is not enough. We're now going around the country 
trying to explain to communities how they can, without fear of 
legal challenge, institute curfew policies, as New Orleans has, 
for juveniles in a way that has dramatically lowered the 
juvenile crime rate here, and in a positive way has helped a 
lot of juveniles to sort through their own problems and get 
back on the right track in life.
    School uniform policies and tough truancy policies, like so 
many California communities I've seen have implemented in a way 
that has increased learning in the schools and diminished crime 
beyond the school yard. There are more things we can do in this 
way and we must all continue to do it. [Applause.]
    We have a responsibility to reform the welfare system. I'm 
sure you've all seen the big debate about welfare in 
Washington. Let me just say that we have been working for three 
and a half years on that through a provision of existing law 
which allows the President to say to any state in the country 
that presents a plan to move people from welfare to work and to 
require them to move from welfare to work, you can get around 
all the federal rules and regulations if you're doing that.
    But let me ask you as you see this debate unfold in the 
next few days, to think about your own family and ask yourself, 
well, what do I really want to change in the welfare system? 
And I think to answer the question, you have to say, what do I 
want for poor people in America? How would I like for them to 
be able to live?
    And I think what we want for them is what we want for 
middle-class families and, indeed, for upper-income families in 
America. We want people to have strong families and successful 
work lives. We want them to succeed when they go to work and 
when they're working at raising their children. And we don't 
want them to have to choose; we want them to do both. And 
that's exactly what we want other families in America to do as 
well: Success at home and success at work. And if we have a 
system that undermines either one, America is weaker because of 
it.
    So we have worked hard. We've got 75 percent of everybody 
on welfare now under welfare-to-work experiments in a way that 
enables them to continue to support their children when they 
leave the welfare rolls and go onto the work rolls. And that's 
what we ought to want for every American. There are 1.3 million 
fewer people on welfare today than there were the day I became 
President. This will work. We can move people from welfare to 
work if we do it in the right way. [Applause.]
    The other big part of this is that people who owe it ought 
to pay their child support. [Applause.] When I became 
President, we were collecting $8 billion a year in child year. 
Now we're collecting 11 billion, a 40 percent increase. But you 
need to know that if every person in this country who owes 
support for their own children, is legally obligated to pay it 
and is financially able to pay it, if they paid it all 
tomorrow, tomorrow morning there would be 800,000 fewer women 
and children on welfare in the Untied States. So that's a big 
part of this and a big part of why we need national legislation 
to reform the welfare laws. [Applause.]
    So we're working hard with the Congress to try to get a 
welfare reform bill out so we can cover all the states, all the 
people and have even tougher child support enforcement, 
especially for the cases across state lines. But remember, when 
you hear this debate and you hear people propose certain 
things, ask yourself, what do I want for those families? And 
don't I want for them the same thing I want for the families in 
my neighborhood and the families of America, success at home 
and success at work? And I think if we think about it that way, 
we'll make the right decisions.
    Finally, let me say we have a responsibility to finish the 
work of balancing the budget, but to do it in a way that is 
consistent with our values and our long-term interests, which 
is, in my view, taking care of the health care needs of 
seniors, people with disabilities, poor children, making sure 
that we continue to invest in education and protecting the 
environment and other things that are critical to our future, 
making sure we do not increase the burdens on the hardest 
pressed working families. But we can do that, and I am 
committed to it.
    And lastly, we have a responsibility to maintain the 
national defense and to continue to be the world's strongest 
force for peace and freedom. [Applause.]
    As we enter the--near the end of the most successful draw-
down in our history, our military readiness has never been 
higher, we continue to have the best equipped, the best 
trained, the best prepared military in the world. And we must 
always have that. Whether we're standing down aggression in the 
Persian Gulf, restoring democracy in Haiti, safeguarding the 
peace in Bosnia, saving lives in Rwanda, working with NATO and 
our new allies from the former communist bloc in the 
Partnership for Peace, our service men and women have proven 
their abilities time and time again in the last three and a 
half years.
    Our funding and support for them must not falter, first for 
military technology to meet any new challenges now or in the 
future, and, even more important, to support the men and women 
in uniform, for they are the most precious resource in our 
military arsenal, and we have to be there for them. [Applause.]
    Last year we set aside funds to ensure that military 
personnel received the highest pay raise allowed by law through 
the end of the century. We are committed to maintain and 
improve the quality of life for service members and their 
families around the globe, including better housing, community 
support, youth programs and child care. They, too, have a right 
to know that if they're succeeding for us at their work, their 
homes are going to be successful, and their children and their 
spouses are going to be taken care of. And that is a very, very 
important part of defense spending in this world. [Applause.]
    There are a lot of things that we have to do for the 
future. We're working in Washington now to raise the minimum 
wage; to pass the Kassebaum-Kennedy bill which will say you 
don't lose your health insurance if you change jobs or someone 
in your family gets sick. We're working hard on welfare reform.
    I hope that we can strengthen the Family and Medical Leave 
Law, which has permitted 12 million working Americans to take 
some time off when they've had a baby born or sick parent 
without losing their jobs. And I'd like to see more done so 
that people could go to regular doctor's appointments with 
their parents or their kids, or got to a parent-teacher 
conference at school without losing their jobs. We've got to 
make it possible for working parents to succeed at work at home 
with their children and with their parents. [Applause.]
    I want to make a college education available to every 
person in this country who's willing to work for it. I think we 
ought to--the most important tax cut we could pass in America 
today is to give people a deduction for the cost of college 
education, their own or their kids. [Applause.] And I would 
like to see, I would very much like to see us make the two 
years of education after high school that most Americans now 
get in community college, I want that to become just as 
universal in the next couple of years as a high school 
education is today. So I propose a tax credit for the cost of 
community college for the next two years after high school. 
[Applause.] That'd be a good thing to do.
    And finally, let me just mention this last duty. We have a 
duty to respect our differences and to learn to bridge the gaps 
between us. If you look around the world today, what's fueling 
a lot of this terrorism? What caused all the slaughter in 
Burundi and Rwanda? Why did people who lived for decades in 
peace in Bosnia all of a sudden become the sort of nagging 
agony of the entire world, slaughtering each other with 
reckless abandon after having lived in peace together for 
decades, neighbor against neighbor, killing each other?
    Why can't we fix what's gone wrong in the Middle East? Why 
did Northern Ireland start violence again after 15 months of 
peace when they've got the lowest unemployment rate in 15 
years? And when Hillary and I went there, we were mobbed by 
Catholic and Irish young people alike saying, ``We love peace. 
We don't want to go back to war.'' What happened?
    Because throughout history there has been an atrocious 
tendency among human beings to give in to racial, ethnic, 
religious and tribal hatred. [Applause.] And as your generation 
helped to ensure victory for us in the Cold War, so that 
billions of people every day didn't have to get up wondering 
about whether someone was going to drop a bomb on them from the 
communist or the noncommunist world, depending on what side of 
that Cold War they lived on, and people were able to relax, too 
many have fallen back into the old patterns of racial, 
religious, ethnic and tribal hatreds.
    Why do people hate other people who are different from 
them? Either because they think they won't permit them to live 
as they want to live or, more likely, they really need somebody 
to look down on.
    Your know, I guess nobody has a perfect family, but I'll go 
to my grave being grateful for my mother telling me, ``Don't 
your ever, don't you ever feel better because of somebody 
else's misfortune. You should feel better because of what you 
are and what you do. Don't ever think you've got to put 
somebody else down because of that.'' [Applause.]
    But all over the world there are people that will get up 
tomorrow morning and start out the new week defining themselves 
in terms of who they can hate, who they can look down on, who 
they can hurt. And it is a cancer of the modern world. We fight 
it on its most flagrant basis when we stand against terrorism. 
But we have to also recommit ourselves to purging every vestige 
of it in the United States.
    The United States military has done a better job than any 
other organization in our society, I believe, in opening up 
opportunities for people based on merit: 250,000 new roles for 
women in the last three and a half years in the military. I'm 
proud of that. [Applause.]
    We not only have in General Powell an African American who 
became Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, we have a record number of 
officers now reaching the ``general'' rank who are African 
American, Hispanic American, Asian American, Arab American, 
Jewish American, coming from all kinds of backgrounds, in an 
organization that runs strictly on merit and depends upon 
performance for our very survival.
    And yet even there, the other day at Fort Bragg, one of the 
centers of our patriotism, the home of the Special Forces, 
African American soldiers had swastikas painted on their doors. 
We have to work to purge this.
    All of these church burnings--I just learned that over the 
weekend, a church in my home state was burned--African American 
churches, synagogues defaced, three Islamic centers burned. 
That is the opposite of what America is all about.
    When Hillary and I visited our Olympic team and I looked at 
them, I can't help telling you, first of all, I was just 
bursting with pride, and I told them. I said, ``You know, just 
the fact that you made this team should give you great pride 
and great joy. And you should go out among the people of the 
world here and relish the spirit of peace and freedom and 
equality that exists here.''
    And it was a magical moment. One of the young people said 
that they'd been to lunch the day before, and the athletes from 
South Korea and North Korea were sitting at tables next to each 
other and talking. And I though, shoot, I've been trying for 
three and a half years to get them to talk, and I couldn't do 
it. [Laughter and applause.] It was a magic moment. I couldn't 
do it. [Applause.]
    But what struck me about the American team was this: If the 
American team broke up and were just walking in the Olympic 
Village, you could see them and think, well, that athlete is 
from Africa; that athlete's from Latin American; that athlete's 
from the Caribbean; that athlete's from Scandinavia; that 
athlete's from the Middle East. But they could all be 
Americans, because we are bound together, not by our race, but 
by our fidelity to the Constitution, the Bill of Rights and the 
Declaration of Independence, and our belief that we can all 
live here in peace and harmony and mutual respect.
    So I leave you with that thought. If we meet our 
responsibilities to each other and to our children and to our 
future, our responsibilities to the world, and if we meet our 
fundamental responsibility to go forward together in mutual 
respect, then our days are going to get better, and our best 
days are still to come.
    You can have an enormous influence wherever you live and 
whatever you do because of your service to America in uniform 
and because of the sacrifice of that service, if you will 
remind your fellow Americans of those fundamental lessons.
    Thank you and God bless you. [Rising applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Mr. President, for being 
part of our convention.
    We are indeed honored to have with us today our nation's 
Number 1 veterans' advocate. Shortly after he assumed this high 
office, Jesse Brown served notice that he would be Secretary 
for Veterans Affairs, not Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
    Those of use who know him, who are aware of his track 
record as an advocate with the DAV, know Jesse's self-
designated title change signaled a new beginning, a new 
beginning that made the Department of Veterans Affairs 
accountable to its constituency, as captured in the new VA 
motto, ``Putting Veterans First''; a new beginning for 
improving VA health care, and a new beginning that saw a 
genuine and caring concern for our women and homeless veterans; 
a new beginning that pushed to the forefront the needs of our 
Persian Gulf veterans and former POWs, and broadened benefits 
criteria for Vietnam veterans ravaged by Agent Orange.
    It is a long road from the streets of Chicago, through the 
jungles of Vietnam to the halls of the White House and a seat 
at the Cabinet Room table. Jesse Brown has walked that road 
with one thing in mind: Serving the country he dearly loves.
    The path of innovative change that Jesse Brown chose to 
walk for all of us has been littered with opposition. Jesse 
Brown has met these challenges with vigor and determination. 
For that, we are in his debt, and we will walk proudly with him 
as we join in confronting challenges on the horizon.
    Jesse is an incredible man. In one person he combines not 
only the most knowledgeable person ever to head the VA, but the 
most compassionate as well. He is a man of great spirit, great 
courage and great strength.
    The Marines looked for a good man in Jesse Brown. America 
found a great man.
    Please extend a warm welcome to the Honorable Jesse Brown, 
the Secretary for Veterans Affairs. [Rising applause.]
    Secretary for Veterans Affairs Jesse Brown. Thank you. 
thank you very much, Commander, for that very kind and warm 
reception. I'm delighted to be here and to see my good friend, 
National Adjutant Wilson; our National Auxiliary Commander 
Hicks; our National Auxiliary Adjutant Tedrow; my good friend, 
Jack Feighner; distinguished guests; my fellow DAV members; 
ladies and gentlemen: I want you to know that again, I am 
really delighted to be here, and it is clear that I have a hard 
act to follow. [Laughter.]
    But I can tell you--you know, they cut my travel. They got 
so mad at me there in Washington, D.C., because I've been 
running around the country telling the veterans what they were 
doing to them. But they cut my travel, but they don't know that 
I'm really glad to be out of Washington, D.C. [Laughter and 
applause.]
    You know, it's like a soap opera there. Those new 
politicians came to Washington thinking they were the ``Bold 
and the Beautiful.'' [Laughter.] And they are trying to turn 
this country into ``Another World.'' [Laughter.] But in the 
eyes of America, they look more like ``The Young and the 
Restless.'' [Laughter and applause.] Because we know that if 
they have their way, ``All My Children'' could be thrown out of 
the ``General Hospital.'' [Laughter.] We just cannot allow them 
to interfere with the ``Days of Our Lives.'' [Laughter.] But 
I'm here to tell you today that I've seen ``The Guiding 
Light.'' [Laughter.] And if they do not change their ways by 
November, they just have ``One Life to Live.'' [Laughter and 
Applause.]
    Hey, please don't tell them I said that. They'll take the 
other 25 percent away from me. [Laughter.]
    It's really kind of funny, but unfortunately it is true. 
They have turned the civil tides of politics to an atmosphere 
of hostility, and that is why we in the Veterans community must 
remain focused on the men and women who have borne the battle.
    1996 is the year of the Olympics. The world is focused on 
the men and women overcoming challenges. The athletes are 
competing at the top of their form. And all of them are working 
hard, very hard, to get the gold. When the record books are 
closed, all athletes want to know that they have done their 
very best.
    These past three and a half years seem like a marathon to 
me. I have run the best race that I know how, and it has not 
been easy. I have put my heart and soul into what I believe is 
right for veterans and their families.
    When I became your Secretary for Veterans Affairs, I had a 
vision for change. The first step was to create an atmosphere 
where putting veterans first was our Number 1 priority. Putting 
veterans first became more than a slogan; it became our 
mission.
    The system is not perfect. No system is. The race is not 
over, and we are still running hard. But veterans know that VA 
is more responsive to their needs than four years ago. And it 
is also no secret that historically veterans' organizations 
felt that they were outsiders. When I accepted this job, that 
was one of the first things that I changed.
    Today, veterans and VA are partners. We make decisions 
together. During this administration, veterans have had a 
greater access to the VA and the White House, and it is making 
a difference.
    In 1993, we inherited a huge backlog of claims, and it was 
getting worse. But we turned that around. The waiting time is 
down and getting better. That is putting veterans first.
    The veterans we serve are getting older. Their health care 
needs are changing, and we are changing the way we deliver 
health care. We are creating more places for veterans to 
receive medical attention. We have reorganized our hospitals, 
clinics and nursing homes into 22 integrated networks. We're 
shifting our focus from in-patient to outpatient care. We have 
taken advantage of the economies of scale in may areas, such as 
pharmaceuticals and medical supplies.
    And yes, we have sent Congress a plan for national 
eligibility reform. We need to get away from those old laws 
that prevent VA from providing full, comprehensive health care 
to our veterans. Veterans need a health care system that 
provides them with everything that they need in order to stay 
healthy, and anything less is unacceptable.
    Our progress has not come easy. The past two years have 
been difficult. But we have survived. We have survived the 
challenge to end compensation to some incompetent veterans and 
two government shutdowns which delayed compensation and pension 
payments.
    At the same time, we have made important advances on issues 
that are important to us, issues such as improving health care; 
Agent Orange; post-traumatic stress disorder; Persian Gulf 
illness; improving services for women veterans; POWs; helping 
homeless veterans; and burying our veterans with dignity.
    These are examples of what we can do if we work together. 
And yet I do not believe for one moment that we can let our 
guard down, because the threat to veterans' benefits will not 
go away. There will always be those who want veterans to share 
the pain of shrinking the costs of government.
    But we must say to them loud and clear: Don't talk to 
veterans about sharing pain. We're no longer the young men and 
women we used to be. But we know pain very well: In World War 
II, 400,000 dead, 700,000 wounded; Korea, 54,000 dead, 100,000 
wounded; Vietnam, 58,000 dead, over 300,000 wounded; and those 
brave warriors who died in Saudi Arabia, victims of a cowardly 
act. That is pain. Pain mingled with the wounded cries and the 
silence of the dead. And that is why we will never, never give 
up.
    We in the veterans community show honor for our dead by 
responding to the needs of the living. Because, for the living, 
the cost of war continues after the guns fall silent. That is 
putting veterans first, and that is what the VA is all about.
    It should be about change, change that responds to the 
needs of veterans and their families. But we cannot support and 
will not support the unreasonable changes that have been 
considered there in Washington, D.C., changes like taxing 
compensation and pensions; terminating compensation for 
veterans rated 10 and 20 percent disabled; means testing 
service-connected disabliblity compensation; and redefining 
service connection.
    And what stopped those attacks on our benefits from 
becoming law? Veterans, their families and our friends in 
Congress.
    And what about the future? The President has promised to 
make sure that the nation honors its commitment to veterans. He 
promised to negotiate the budget for veterans every year, and 
he's done that. This year, President Clinton recommended a 
billion-dollar increase in discretionary spending for the VA, 
but Congress cut it by $915 million. And I say to you that we 
needed that money for our hospitals.
    And, as I have already said, Congress cut my travel money 
by 75 percent. That was an obvious attempt to keep me from 
speaking out against unfair cuts to veterans' programs. But the 
voice of veterans must be heard. This is not about Jesse Brown; 
this is about the voice of the veterans' community and their 
families. And that is the reason why I'm here. I'm here where I 
belong. I will not be shackled in Washington, D.C. And I pledge 
to you that I will continue to speak out. [Applause.]
    Now, the President has submitted his budget for 1997. It 
includes a billion-dollar increase over what Congress approved 
for 1996. It provides nearly $600 million more for health care 
and other discretionary spending; $400 million more for 
benefits; and funding for badly needed hospitals in California 
and Florida. This is a good budget, and I hope Congress is kind 
to us this year.
    But, my friends, that may not be the case. The President 
requested $439 million for medical construction. It was cut by 
$71 million. This means that we could not build the hospitals 
that we needed in Florida and California. But more importantly 
than that, this would deny reasonable access of care to over 
700,000 veterans. And also, it would not permit us to move 
forward on our plans to upgrade VA hospitals that are 40 to 100 
years old.
    And they have taken away $26 million from BVA. This will 
increase our claims backlog and greatly reduce our ability to 
improve the quality and timeliness of services to veterans and 
their families.
    As you can see, the race is not over. We need to get back 
to the three R's, and I'm not talking about ``reading, 'writing 
and 'rithmetic.'' I'm talking about recognizing, respecting and 
remembering the needs of America's veterans. [Applause.]
    Military service should not be rewarded with a bitter 
taste, a bitter taste served in the cup of champions. And in my 
view, and I believe in the view of the eyes of the world, that 
our veterans are champions. They are champions for democracy, 
champions for freedom.
    And that is why it is so important for your work to 
continue. You must continue to carry the torch for all 
generations to come. You must push on to the next runner.
    We cannot fail our veterans because we have a special bond 
with them. Many people will never understand that bond, but it 
is a bond forged in our common experience, tempered by hardship 
and pain, and moved forward by courage and determination.
    I would like to leave you with a true story that eloquently 
describes this courage and determination. A few years ago, 17-
year-old Michael Stone was competing as a pole vaulter in the 
National Junior Olympics. The competition was fierce. By the 
finals, another pole vaulter had cleared the bar one foot 
higher than Michael had ever done. Michael tried anyway, and he 
cleared the bar.
    It was raised two more inches. Excitement built as both 
athletes cleared the bar again. Then they moved the bar up two 
more inches, one inch below the national record. The crowd went 
wild when both athletes made it. Finally, the bar was set at 17 
feet, six and a half inches. This height would set a new 
national record.
    The other jumper went first. Michael could not watch. The 
sound from the crowd told the story. The other jumper did not 
make it. And Michael lined up for his final try. His heart was 
pounding. The height was an unbelievable 18 and a half inches 
higher than his previous record.
    And there was complete silence, much as there is here 
today. He sprinted toward the approach and vaulted into the 
air, and the crowd went wild, and he knew that he had made it. 
The new champion did not look up to see if the bar was still 
standing. He did not look to the bleachers to see his mother 
and father crying. For you see, Michael Stone is totally blind.
    Now, that is a moving story, because it means something to 
us in the Disabled American Veterans, a tremendous story, 
because Michael had courage and determination.
    For veterans, the competition is not over, and like 
Michael, we cannot see all of the obstacles ahead. But like 
him, veterans have courage and determination to keep the 
promise to those who ran the good race before us, and keep that 
promise we shall.
    I love all of you, and thank you so very, very much. 
[Rising applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Mr. Secretary.
    I would not like to introduce your line officers, and I 
would ask that you hold your applause until I've introduced all 
of them. National Senior Vice-Commander Gregory C. Reed from 
Indiana; 1st Junior Vice-Commander Harry R. McDonald, Jr. from 
Florida; 2nd Junior Vice-Commander William D. Wiggins of 
Virginia; 3rd Junior Vice-Commander Andrew A. Kistler of 
Pennsylvania; 4th Junior Vice-Commander Michael E. Dobmeier of 
North Dakota; National Judge Advocate Edward G. Galian of New 
York; National Chaplain Reverend Oscar I. Wilkie of Oklahoma; 
and Past National Commander Donald A. Sioss of New York. 
[Applause.]
    At this time, I'm going to introduce the National Executive 
Committee people. From the 1st District, Everett J. Nygard, Jr. 
of Massachusetts; George R. LePorte of New York from 2nd 
District; 3rd District, David A. Schiapo of Rhode Island; 4th 
District, Albert R. Fanslau of New Jersey; 5th District, Donald 
C. Graffius of Pennsylvania; 6th District, Carl J. Carter of 
Washington, D.C.; 7th District, Tommy R. Simms of Florida; 8th 
District, John A. Bell of Mississippi; 9th District, Ronald L. 
Voegeli of South Carolina; my district, the 10th District, 
Lowell G. McKeehan from Michigan; the 11th District, Nicholas 
J. Border of Ohio; 12th District, Dorothy R. Schilling of 
Wisconsin; the 13the District, Glen E. Vogel. Sr. of Indiana; 
14th District, Victor C. Hass of North Dakota; 15th District, 
Francis E. McLaskey of Iowa; 16th District, Charles H. Demele 
of California; 17th District, Stanley L. Miller of New Mexico; 
18th District, Edwin K. Wise of Hawaii; 19th District, Fred G. 
Rupert of Alaska; 20th District, Earl Dean Walker of Texas; and 
from the 21st District, Adrian H. Hunt of Arkansas. That's our 
National Executive Committee. [Applause.]
    I'd also like to recognize a person who's been of great 
assistance to me this year, my National Chief of Staff, Leo J. 
LeRoux of Michigan, who had to leave because of his mother-in-
law's passing. Also, my Officer of the Day from Michigan, 
Margherita Dupras; and my Sergeant-at-Arms, Clyde Couch of 
Texas.
    And last, I want to express my sincere thanks to National 
Historian Jack Feighner of Ohio, to whom we owe a deep sense of 
gratitude. [Applause.]
    It is now my pleasure and privilege to call to the podium a 
woman I am proud to know and even prouder to call my friend. 
Barb Hicks has led the Auxiliary with devoted leadership and 
love and warmth during the past year.
    Barb has worked ceaselessly and diligently to lead the 
Auxiliary in helping the families of disabled veterans who 
sacrificed so much for their country. Wherever I journeyed 
during my time as national commander, I found Auxiliary members 
working alongside DAV members in our struggle to protect 
benefits and serves for disabled veterans and their families.
    Barb has been a strong and compassionate voice on the 
behalf of families of disabled veterans. She has stood proudly 
on many occasions to represent the DAV and the Auxiliary. Andy 
from the joint hearing of the House and Senate Committee on 
Veterans' Affairs to the commemorative events surrounding the 
50th anniversary of V-J Day in Hawaii, she has personified the 
strength and solidarity that we admire and respect in the DAV 
Auxiliary.
    Barb's deep awareness of the issues facing disabled 
veterans and their families is punctuated by 33 years of 
service as an Auxiliary member. Her dedication is without 
question, and her determination without equal.
    Please join me in welcoming an admirable woman, an 
exceptional leader, and a devoted friend, my counterpart in the 
Auxiliary, Auxiliary National Commander Barb Hicks. [Rising 
applause.]
    Auxiliary Commander Barbara L. Hick. Thank you, Commander 
Tom, for your very kind introduction. I'm indeed honored to be 
here to share this historic convention.
    Before I deliver my report to our members gathered here 
today, I want to personally and on behalf of the entire 
Auxiliary, honor a man whose devotion and leadership epitomizes 
all the DAV and Auxiliary stand for. It is my privilege to have 
met and served with Tom McMasters. It has been a true joy to 
know his wife, Sandi, and their lonely children.
    Our Auxiliary has had the great good fortune of having a 
DAV national commander who enthusiastically praised, welcomed 
and sought our service to disabled veterans and their families. 
He took every opportunity to show love, respect and 
appreciation for the Auxiliary, and we are forever grateful for 
his comradeship.
    Commander Tom, I am pleased to present this plaque to you, 
thanking you for making the Auxiliary such an important part of 
the DAV. It reads:

          Presented to Thomas A. McMasters, III, National Commander, in 
        appreciation for distinguished service given to Disabled 
        American Veterans Auxiliary, 1995-1996.

    Signed by National Adjutant Maria M. Tedrow and National 
Commander Barbara L. Hicks. [Applause.]
    On behalf of myself and all Auxiliary members, thank you 
for sharing your year with us.
    National Commander McMasters, National Adjutants Art Wilson 
and Maria Tedrow, convention delegates, honored quests, 
families and friends: It has been an honor to serve as your 
Auxiliary national commander. I am bursting with pride and 
enthusiasm at the accomplishments of the Auxiliary during the 
past year. I'm tremendously proud to report the Auxiliary met 
and it exceeded membership quota this year. [Applause.]
    As I look around the room, I see familiar faces and new 
faces. I see determination and hope, compassion and strength, 
and concern and love. I see the DAV and Auxiliary at their 
best.
    As Auxiliary members, we share the experience of a loved 
one disabled in service to this nation. You, the disabled 
veterans in our lives are constant reminders of blood spilled, 
bodies maimed and minds scarred in defense of this country. We 
are the ones who share your lives. We are your wives, mothers, 
sisters, daughters, grandmothers and granddaughters.
    We are the Auxiliary. We stand beside the DAV in the battle 
to build better lives for our disabled veterans and their 
families. Our Auxiliary is there in spirit and force 
representing disabled veterans, their families, widows and 
orphans before all branches of government, from the White House 
to the courthouse.
    From the 1996 Midwinter Conference in Washington, DC to the 
snow-covered slopes of Crested Butte, Colorado at the 10th 
National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, the Auxiliary 
was there with the DAV. When I saw determination turn into 
jubilation on the faces of the men and women attending the 
Winter Sports Clinic, my heart soared. It is something I 
believe every Auxiliary commander should experience.
    The Auxiliary has come a long way since our founders 
established the DAV Auxiliary in 1922. But we have never 
wavered from our common goal of helping the families of 
veterans who sacrificed so much for our country in wars and 
conflicts throughout the world.
    The women who built our Auxiliary were true champions who 
left a legacy of service and love to one and all gathered here 
today. They were the leaders and mentors always there to guide 
us and help us grow in this great organization.
    Sadly, most of our early leaders are gone now. Death and 
the frailty of age have claimed them, but their spirit lives on 
in each of us and in our Auxiliary. We pursue their legacy as 
we face the challenging mission of ensuring that America 
remembers her disabled veterans.
    The spirit of our founders was present at the Auxiliary 
Fall Conference in Dayton, Ohio last year. Members attending 
the conference had the opportunity to learn from the expertise 
of others and share their experience. It was exciting to see 
experienced Auxiliary leaders training the next generation of 
Auxiliary leaders. It was a fun and rewarding opportunity for 
all who attended.
    I encourage all Auxiliary members to attend this year's 
exciting three-day event in Louisville, Kentucky. The 1996 Fall 
Conference will be held at the beautiful Galt House East in 
Louisville, September 26th through September 28th. Be sure to 
bring your husbands, too. Those who attended last year had a 
good time and learned a lot about our Auxiliary.
    At the Fall Conference, Auxiliary members learn that it is 
up to the DAV and Auxiliary to see to it that those who seem 
bent on destroying our country's commitment to our disabled 
loved ones, and, yes, our families in the process, are stopped.
    Every time our government considers measures that endanger 
the benefits, services and programs our families need and 
depend on, we must convince them otherwise. Working alongside 
DAV members, Auxiliary members shoulder the task of making sure 
our elected officials understand that disabled veterans and 
their families, our families, deserve only the best treatment a 
grateful nation can provide.
    Regardless of how many letters and telegrams we must send, 
or how many phone calls we must make to our elected leaders to 
turn the tide, the Auxiliary stands at the forefront of battle 
with the DAV to protect the benefits disabled veterans have 
earned for themselves and our families.
    We are not misled by the rhetoric of those so-called 
leaders. They speak of balancing the budget through shared 
sacrifices, while the VA's ability to provide timely, effective 
and compassionate benefits and services deteriorates. Some 
refer to veterans' programs as scared cows, yet veterans are 
dying waiting for help, because the VA is underfunded and 
insufficiently staffed.
    What do these so-called leaders really know of shared 
sacrifice? Have they been awakened by a disabled loved one's 
nightmares? Have they watched the hurt in a father's eyes when 
he is unable to toss a baseball with his son because he lost an 
arm to an enemy's bullet? Have they lugged a wheelchair in and 
out of the trunk of a car time and time again for a son who 
lost his legs to an enemy mine in Vietnam? Have they watched 
tears roll down the face of a grandfather blinded in World War 
II as his fingers trace the outlines of his grandson's face?
    After uttering those words at a recent department 
convention, a young man came up to me and thanked me. He was 
profoundly moved because his grandfather was blinded in World 
War II. That young man had never experienced war. He was not 
disabled. But he understood the pain and suffering that all of 
us gathered here know.
    We live with the pain and suffering every day. We watch as 
the lives of our disabled loved ones are cut short due to their 
disabilities. Look around you, and you will quickly see that 
the number of widows among us grows us each year. These women 
need our support and compassion during their time of grief.
    Many also need additional financial support. Thanks to the 
generosity of the Auxiliary state departments and units 
nationwide, we are able to provide the financial support to our 
Auxiliary members through the Auxiliary Service/Support 
Program. It is a program that exists thanks to Auxiliary 
members. Auxiliary and DAV members give generously to the 
Auxiliary Service/Support Program to provide assistance to 
women just like you who have fallen on hard times.
    The generosity we put into this program makes a crucial 
difference in the lives of Auxiliary members. It helps put food 
on the table for a woman and her children and pays the utility 
bill for a widow with no one to turn to. It helps when a woman 
most needs our help.
    The Auxiliary triumphs over challenge throughout the year. 
One has but to look at the array of projects and services 
Auxiliary members are involved in every day to see the 
monumental impact members have on the lives of our disabled 
loved ones, our families and communities.
    Auxiliary members join DAV members to donate millions of 
hours of volunteer service to patients at VA medical centers, 
nursing homes, clinics, domiciliaries every year. Where there's 
a Voluntary Service Program you'll find Auxiliary members 
striving to help.
    Helping veterans' widows and children, homeless veterans 
and older veterans extends far beyond the confines of VA 
facilities and into our communities. From delivering hot meals 
to providing respite care, Auxiliary members work to help 
disabled veterans and their families, in communities 
nationwide.
    The combined strength of every woman who makes it her 
business to be a member of the DAV Auxiliary makes the good 
works of the Auxiliary possible.
    Yet, it has been a great year. We are proud of the 
partnership between the Auxiliary and the Disabled American 
Veterans, and I can assure you it has grown stronger over the 
past year. With leaders like Commander Tom who encourage our 
partnership, I have no doubt we will grow even stronger in the 
years to come.
    Thank you very much and God bless. [Rising applause.]
    Thank you. I, too, would like to introduce my line 
officers. Senior Vice-Commander Margaret Hass; 1st Junior Vice-
Commander Evelynne Dunn; 2nd Junior Vice-Commander Evelyn 
Dorsey; 3rd Junior Vice-Commander Paula Raymond; 4th Junior 
Vice-Commander Phyllis Novak; National Judge Advocate Past 
National Commander Sheila Allred; National Chaplain Carol Gray; 
Past National Commander Jane Troutman; National Adjutant Past 
National Commander Maria Tedrow; Assistant National Adjutant 
Judy Hezlep; our National Convention Chairman Elaine Majors. 
[Applause.]
    And I would like to introduce my National Executive 
Committeewomen, and would you please hold your applause until I 
have introduced them. District 1, Jackie Fossiano, 
Massachusetts; District 2, Betty Nelson, New York; District 3, 
Grace Boland, Rhode Island; District 4, Arline Phillips, 
Delaware; District 5, E. Jimi Hayes, Pennsylvania; the 
alternate NEC, District 6, Mildred Velazquez, Puerto Rico; 
alternate NEC District 7, Grace McLaughlin, Florida; District 
8, Vernice Eunice, Alabama; District 9, Vicky Grier, Georgia; 
District 10, Zona McNeal, Michigan; District 11, Jane Wood, 
Ohio; District 12, Zona Schaol, Wisconsin; District 13, Esther 
Houston, Indiana; District 14, Annette Bain-Wilson, Montana; 
District 15, Dee Staples, Kansas; District 16, Vera Flatow, 
California; District 17, Dorothy Dudoich, New Mexico; District 
18, Janet Bennett, Nevada; District 19, Esther Westlake, 
Washington; District 20, Ann Hester, Texas; District 21, 
Gertrude Tidwell, Oklahoma.
    Please give them applause. [Applause.]
    At this time, I would like to introduce Past National 
Commander Nelda Wilson from Illinois for a presentation.
    Mrs. Nelda Wilson. National Commander McMasters, National 
Commander Hicks, national officers, honored guests and 
delegates: The purpose of the Past National Commander Award is 
to recognize the contributions and dedication of an outstanding 
member whose efforts have enhanced the goals of the Auxiliary 
and the parent organization and has been active in her 
community for the past calendar year.
    To each of the members whose names were submitted for this 
award, we say thank you and congratulations. You are truly 
examples of Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary members at 
work, caring and sharing, helping our disabled members and 
members of our community.
    The recipient of this award this year is Mary Lou Webber, 
Unit 24, Valley City, North Dakota. Mary Lou has worked in all 
phases of our community and the Auxiliary programs and has been 
an active member in her church. Within the community, Mrs. 
Webber supports the Champion for Children's Program, donates to 
and is an active member of an abused outreach center. She's 
also involved in assisting a local support group for persons 
living with cancer and provides transportation for patients to 
and from medical appointments and treatments.
    Mary Lou's sponsor's words really say it best, quote: ``The 
DAVA is so lucky to have Mary Lou as a member. Mary Lou is a 
most dedicated member that any organization could hope to have. 
She actually schedules the rest of her life around all of the 
DAVA activities.''
    Mary Lou is eligible through her husband, Rheinhold, a POW 
during World War II. I'm sure he's here today, along with her 
son and daughter-in-law.
    So would you now please help me welcome Mary Lou Webber. 
[Rising applause.]
    Mary Lou, it's an honor for me to present this award to you 
on behalf of the past national commanders, the DAV Past 
National Commander Award to Mary Lou Webber, Outstanding Member 
of the Year 1995. Congratulations. [Applause.]
    Mrs. Mary Lou Webber. I would like to thank the past 
national commanders for this award. I would also like to thank 
my unit, Valley City, North Dakota, Number 4, for nominating 
me. I belong to a small unit in a small state, but in North 
Dakota we have big hearts for our veterans.
    Thank you again. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Commander Barbara, thank you very much 
for fulfilling your pledge that you made in Dayton when you 
said you'd stand shoulder to shoulder with us.
    Each year, the DAV selects an Outstanding Disabled Veteran 
of the Year. The award is presented to an individual who has 
overcome personal, social and physical barriers to excel in 
life, an individual who serves as a mentor to all disabled 
veterans.
    The Outstanding Disabled Veteran of the Year inspires 
courage in the face of fear, strength in the face of hardship 
and achievement in the face of defeat. Ned Clapp is such a man.
    Ned always wanted to fly. As a boy, he was fascinated with 
planes and flying. He dreamed of one day being a pilot and set 
out to make his dream come true. He followed in his father's 
footsteps to West Point to pursue a career as an Army pilot. 
But after graduating and receiving his commission to 2nd 
lieutenant in 1970, he wound up in Vietnam with the 101st 
Airmobile Division as an artillery forward observer.
    While serving with an infantry company during a battalion 
sweep to locate a North Vietnamese Army base camp near Phu Bai, 
Vietnam, Ned stepped on a booby trap. It was the same day the 
company platoon leader had told him a helicopter was on its way 
to take him back for his promotion to 1st lieutenant.
    The incoming helicopter rushed him to a hospital for 
lifesaving, emergency surgery, where he suffered the loss of 
his right leg below the knee and half of his left foot. He 
hopes for a career as an Army pilot changed forever, but not 
his dream to fly.
    While an outpatient at Fitzsimmons Army Medical Center in 
Denver, Ned obtained his private pilot license in 1972. He went 
on to earn a commercial pilot license, commercial instrument 
rating, sailplane rating and multi-engine rating, using his GI 
Bill.
    He returned to active duty in 1973 and served as a 
mechanized infantry and field artillery officer. But increasing 
physical difficulty for the young captain led Ned to accept a 
medical discharge in 1975.
    Ned left the military and went to work for Denver Avionics 
to learn the aircraft electronics business under the VA's 
Vocational Rehab Program. He eventually purchased a business 
offering flight training, aircraft charter, maintenance and 
aircraft sales. Before selling the business in 1981, he amassed 
5,123 hours of flying time.
    Ned also started a computer business offering bookkeeping 
and accounting services to small businesses, which he continues 
to operate on a small scale. He has used his computer expertise 
to help all veterans organizations in the Fargo area set up 
their computer systems, including the Fargo DAV National 
Service Office.
    In September 1985, Ned joined the Department of Veterans 
Affairs as a prosthetic representative trainee. Today he is the 
chief of Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service at the Fargo VA 
Medical Center, where he strives to ensure that veterans 
received all the services they need to function outside the 
hospital setting. During his tenure, the service has grown from 
serving 2,200 disabled veterans per year to more than 8,000 per 
year. Under Ned's supervision, the Prosthetic and Sensory Aids 
Service has become one of the most highly regarded services at 
that medical center.
    A life member of DAV Chapter Number 1 in Fargo, North 
Dakota, Ned is also a dedicated family man. He and his wife, 
Deborah, are the proud parents of three sons: Griffin, Jim and 
Adam. All of the boys play baseball, a Clapp family passion.
    Last year, Ned and Debbie took in 130 games coaching, 
observing and score-keeping with the boys. Ned is in his fourth 
year of coaching Babe Ruth baseball. He is also a member of the 
Fargo Babe Ruth Baseball League Board of Directors and has also 
coached youth soccer and youth football.
    In 1991, Ned attended his first National Disabled Veterans 
Winter Sports Clinic at Snowmass in Aspen, Colorado. He 
returned to clinics at Crested Butte, Colorado in 1992 and 
1993. He now owns his own mono-ski and skis in Minnesota and 
Montana with his sons and their friends.
    Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming a man who 
has overcome all obstacles to follow his dreams, a man who 
strives to live each day to its fullest and helps those around 
him live theirs fully as well: DAV's 1996 Outstanding Disabled 
Veteran of the Year, Mr. Ned Clapp. I'm going to present this 
plaque to you, Ned. It says:

          For conspicuous and meritorious effort in overcoming a severe 
        service-connected disability to the end that you have achieved 
        success and a high order of accomplishment in your vocational 
        effort of choice. Further, that such consistent and noteworthy 
        accomplishment will ever serve as an inspiration and challenge 
        to your comrades.

    It's signed Thomas A. McMasters, National Commander, and 
Arthur H. Wilson, National Adjutant. Congratulations. 
[Applause.]
    Mr. Ned Clapp. Thank you very much. I'm blown away. I 
remember thinking when I was 2nd lieutenant in Vietnam that I 
would much rather be dead than messed up, because once you're 
messed up, there is no future. And through a lot of other 
people's efforts I'm where I am today. The VA and the DAV have 
been my safety net. It's always nice to have somebody to go to 
when you need help, and both of these people or these groups of 
people have been a tremendous help to me and to my family. It 
really is truly unbelievable.
    This is what the DAV and the VA are all about. It's helping 
guys like me who have suffered an injury or some other 
disability as a result of serving their country in a military 
capacity to return to a normal, or as normal a life as they 
can. And I hope--I like to think that my life has just been 
normal. I don't think of myself as an outstanding person or 
have done outstanding things. I just think of myself as normal, 
but it's nice to have help of the people like the DAV and the 
VA to do it.
    Thank you. I am so humbled by this, it's unbelievable. 
Thank you, thank you, thank you. [Rising applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Each year, thousands of DAV and 
Auxiliary members dedicate countless hours of volunteer work as 
part of the VA Voluntary Services or VAVS Program. And each 
year, it is with great pleasure and pride that the national 
commander recognizes one DAV and one Auxiliary member for their 
outstanding volunteer efforts through the George H. Seal 
Memorial Award.
    Many of us knew and loved George Seal, and we will always 
remember him. For more than ten years, George served as the 
DAV's National VAVS representative. He was also a member of the 
National VAVS Advisory Committee for many years. For George, 
the VAVS Program was a passion from the time he became involved 
with the program in 1952 until his death in 1977.
    Therefore, it is only fitting that his name graces this 
award, presented each year to honor one DAV and one Auxiliary 
member for their outstanding volunteer efforts on behalf of 
hospitalized veterans and their families.
    This year's recipients are testimony of the spirit, 
dedication and love that our organization's volunteers 
demonstrate through their work with hospitalized veterans 
nationwide.
    The 1996 George H. Seal Memorial Award goes to DAV member 
Tillman Rutledge of DAV Chapter Number 5, San Antonio, Texas. 
[Applause.] We also present the George H. Seal Memorial Award 
to Auxiliary member Dorothy Marie Waters of Auxiliary Unit 
Number 83, Round Lake, Illinois. [Applause.]
    Mr. Rutledge has been a VAVS volunteer for more than 20 
years at the Audie L. Murphy VA Medical Center in San Antonio. 
He has donated more than 25,000 hours of service to improve the 
quality of life for hospitalized veterans. What does Mr. 
Rutledge do? Anything that needs doing. He can be found working 
at any number of tasks for the Voluntary Service Office, the 
Chaplain's Service and Recreation Service. In addition, Mr. 
Rutledge is the State VAVS chairman.
    Though he suffers from the effects of being a former 
prisoner of war, which included poor nutrition and physical 
abuse, Mr. Rutledge never lets up on his volunteer efforts to 
help his fellow veterans. He is not only a great volunteer, he 
is a true inspiration for the entire VAVS Program.
    Please join me in welcoming outstanding VAVS volunteer 
Tillman Rutledge. [Rising applause.]
    The inscription is: ``George H. Seal Memorial Award Winner 
1996, DAV, Tillman J. Rutledge, San Antonio Medical Center, 
Texas.''
    Mr. Tillman J. Rutledge. Thank you. Is anybody left out 
there? I can't see anything. [Laughter.] Anyway, good 
afternoon, if you're still there. Thank you, Commander 
McMasters, for those very nice remarks. I'm not sure I deserve 
them, but I do appreciate them.
    Before my remarks, I'd like to introduce two outstanding 
ladies, one of the sweetest, nicest and strongest persons I've 
ever known, my wife and best friend, Joyce, without whose 
support and patience I'd probably be lost. And she was also one 
of the first volunteers at Audie Murphy, but after 50-plus 
surgeries, she's down to one day a week, and that's Sunday with 
her TV crew. She's sitting down there somewhere. [Applause.]
    And Miss Donna Charles, chief of Volunteer Service, South 
Texas Veterans Health Care System--that's part of this 
reorganization title--who thought me worthy of nomination and 
nominated me for this most prestigious award, and who is also a 
dear friend. She's sitting down there with Joyce. [Applause.] 
Thank you. Thank you, Joyce and DJ.
    When Tom and I finally made connections on 29 April, 1996, 
Joyce and I had just returned from a VAVS BPP trip, Benefit for 
Texas Program Trip, to West Texas and the Panhandle, and that's 
a long ways in Texas, further from San Antonio to where we were 
there to here. When Tom told me what he wanted to talk to me 
about, that the committee had called or faxed him that I was 
the selectee for the 19th Annual George H. Seal Memorial Award, 
as I recall, I was quiet, and Tom asked if I was still there.
    I told him I was, but I was tired and flabbergasted, 
shocked, delighted and at a loss for words. And he replied, 
``Well, you have about three months to come up with 
something.'' So I've got a few.
    I told Tom and Bruce Nitsche, my boss here in Washington--
here in Washington, how about that?--when he called me later to 
also congratulate me, that I do not do what I do for awards and 
I would not take on all that I have for awards. That wasn't and 
is not my commitment. But I most certainly would accept this 
great honor and recognition award and what it meant with 
gratitude and honor.
    They both replied that they knew that and both were very 
happy and glad for me that I had received it. I truly 
appreciated that also.
    I love doing what I do. Some good close friends tell me I 
don't know how to say No. I've never been nominated for this 
award before. This was my first. I did receive Secretary 
Brown's Exceptional Volunteer Award with diamonds in 1994. 
After talking to Tom, though, it suddenly dawned on me, I'm 
only the 19th recipient. If the procedure was such that--and it 
would be wrong to do it this way, of course--that a volunteer 
at every VAMC was to receive this award, and Audie Murphy's lot 
came up last, it would be the year 2149 before Audie Murphy 
received it. Wow!
    Another thought. Can being a DAV volunteer get any better 
than this? I don't think so.
    And speaking of VAVS and BPP: Get involved. DAV is still 
Number 1, in VAVS, but you're needed in both of these programs. 
Remember, we slipped a little bit last year in volunteers and 
hours.
    I want to thank the committee for considering me worthy of 
this great honor. I'm also grateful to Audie Murphy for feeling 
so honored, Mr. Coronado, our outstanding director, and all the 
staff at Audie Murphy. Thank you. It's great. And Don is 
absolutely thrilled.
    Also, to receive this honor on the 50th anniversary of VAVS 
is particularly significant, at least to me.
    One last comment: I could not do all that I do on my own. I 
would not even try. I am loaded with responsibilities and 
duties. Any abilities I have, any strengths that I posses come 
from a Higher Being. I will humbly accept this recognition in 
great honor, but to Him goes all the praise and the glory.
    God bless America, America's veterans, the DAV, our 
dedicated VA health care givers, and our DAV and DAVA 
volunteers who honestly give of their time and talents. Thank 
you so very, very much. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Our next George H. Seal Memorial Award 
recipient has been a volunteer at the North Chicago VA Medical 
Center for--are you ready for this?--43 years. Dorothy Marie 
Waters has donated more than 32,000 hours of her time to make a 
difference in veterans' live.
    Volunteering is a love affair for Dorothy. She brings a 
bright smile and a warm touch into the lives of hospitalized 
veterans every day.
    This tremendous woman travels 40 miles round trip to and 
from the medical center to do her volunteer work. She begins 
her day as a volunteer at 4:30 each morning, preparing coffee 
and refreshments for other volunteers, where her cheerful 
nature starts everyone's day off right. That's just the 
beginning. Ms. Waters' volunteer duties include community 
affairs, media support and information services, which she 
carries out with the same great enthusiasm.
    Ms. Waters' dedication and commitment to her volunteer work 
with hospitalized veterans at the medical center have brought 
quality and integrity to the meaning of volunteer services. 
It's volunteers like Ms. Waters who make DAV volunteers the 
best in the world.
    Please join me in welcoming outstanding Auxiliary VAVS 
volunteer Dorothy Marie Waters. [Rising applause.]
    I'm also going to read the inscription: ``The George H. 
Seal Memorial Award winner, 1996, DAVA, Dorothy Marie Waters, 
North Chicago VA Medical Center, Illinois.''
    You know, when I called Dorothy, she was on vacation. I 
think it was the first vacation that she had taken--well, 
according to her 43 years of volunteer work and the number of 
hours that she has, it might be the first one ever. But she had 
such a good strong voice, it was something that made me step 
back a little bit and say I hope I'm like this when I'm this 
age. [Laughter and applause.]
    Ms. Dorothy Marie Waters. Now, I'm not a big speaker like 
the rest of these people, but all I have to say, I thank you 
very much for the gift, and I thank my chief, Lisa Howard, who 
is out in the audience, who sent my name in for the award. And 
I love my volunteering. And as I say, I go there five days a 
week, and that's what keeps me young. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. We all know how lucky we are to be 
members of a great organization like the DAV, but what does it 
feel like to be the luckiest member of the DAV? The person I'm 
about to introduce can tell you. He was the luckiest of 104 DAV 
members who shared in this year's DAV $250,000 Sweepstakes. He 
won the $100,000 Grand Prize Award.
    Not only is he the luckiest person I know, he's also 
retired and lives in Pensacola, Florida, with his lovely wife, 
Mavis. That means he has the time to enjoy his grand prize and 
someone to help spend it.
    Please join me in welcoming the man who says he'll 
certainly believe in miracles from now on, DAV member Robert 
Kilpatrick. It's pay day, Robert! [Rising applause.]
    Mr. Robert Kilpatrick. I know you don't have to be known to 
win now, but you do have to have a ticket. And I thank all of 
you, and God bless all of you. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. We're all certainly happy for Mr. 
Kilpatrick and wish him the very best with his grand prize 
check. Robert, several members have volunteered to help you 
carry that check to the bank for a small fee, if you're 
interested. [Laughter.]
    On a more serious note, I want to thank everyone who made 
the sweepstakes such a success. It's great to award so many 
prizes to our members, but the biggest winners of all are our 
DAV state department service programs. Every DAV state 
department shares in the proceeds of donations from the DAV 
$250,000 Sweepstakes. Thanks to the sweepstakes, departments 
can finance and expand state-level services to care for more 
disabled veterans and their families than ever before. That's 
the greatest prize of all.
    The adjutant will now read the names of the convention 
committee advisors that I have appointed and who received the 
approval of the National Executive Committee at its most recent 
meeting. Mr. Adjutant.
    Adjutant Wilson. Credentials, Charles D. Luttjohann; 
General Resolutions and Membership, Jerry P. Steelman, Rick 
Surratt; Legislation and Veterans Rights, Thomas L. Tomlinson, 
Richard F. Schultz; Constitution and Bylaws, Fred R. Bristol 
and Edward G. Galian; Finance and Dues, Earl D. Walker, Richard 
E. Patterson; Employment, Michael Godich, Jr., Ronald W. Drach; 
Hospital and Voluntary Services, Henry A. Veillette, Norman B. 
Hartnett; Nomination of National Officers, Gene A. Murphy, 
William E. Leach. Thank you.
    Commander McMasters. Ladies and gentlemen, if you will 
please rise, I will ask the chaplain to lead us in a closing 
prayer.
    Chaplain Wilkie. Let us pray. Father, we've heard a lot of 
words today, a lot of rhetoric, a lot of promises of help, but 
we raise our eyes and know that our help truly comes from God. 
Therefore, Father, help us that we may build upon the 
foundations that have been laid, that we might be able to 
construct a facility that truly will bring service and 
assistance to those to whom we are dedicated to serve.
    Take us now to our places of refreshment and rest that we 
may arrive back at this place in the morning ready to build 
that building, that house of service. Amen.
    Commander McMasters. The convention is in recess until 
10:00 o'clock tomorrow morning.
    [Whereupon, the meeting recessed at 3:55 o'clock p.m., July 
28, 1996.]
                         FIRST BUSINESS SESSION

                             July 29, 1996

    The First Business Session of the Disabled American 
Veterans 75th National Convention convened in the Grand 
Ballroom of the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, New Orleans, 
Louisiana, Monday morning, July 29, 1996, and was called to 
order at 10:00 o'clock a.m. by Commander Thomas McMaster III.
    Commander Thomas A. McMasters III. The convention will come 
to order.
    In opening the First Business Session of the 75th National 
Convention of the Disabled American Veterans, it is fitting and 
proper that we render the respect due to the flag. Please join 
me in the Pledge of Allegiance.
    [Pledge of Allegiance.]
    Commander McMasters. We will now be led in prayer by our 
national chaplain, the Reverend Oscar Wilkie.
    Chaplain Wilkie. Again, as we being another day of business 
and consideration, let us take a moment of silence to ask God 
to remember and to bless those who are ill. We have some of our 
people that are in the hospital, that have been taken since we 
have been here, I understand are doing well.
    Let us remember all of those who are in need or distress, 
either physically or emotionally, in a moment of silence.
    [Moment of silence.]
    Chaplain Wilkie. Once again, we pause to bring praise to 
You, Father, that You have given to us a good night of rest, 
that you have brought us again to this happy hour that we might 
be able now to consider the business affairs of the Disabled 
American Veterans.
    Again I ask Your blessings upon our commander, Tom 
McMasters, upon our adjutant, Art Wilson, and all of those who 
lead us, that we might indeed be able to consider the matters 
before us and do those things which are pleasing in Thy sight. 
Amen.
    Commander McMasters. Please be seated.
    In order for a delegate to be heard at this convention, he 
must be recognized by the Chair. Only those delegates at a 
microphone will be recognized. The delegate must state his 
name, chapter number, chapter number and the state he 
represents.
    I call on the Credentials Committee for their first report.
    Mr. Virgil A. Barnett. Good morning. Comrade Commander and 
delegates, the National Convention Committee on Credentials was 
called to order for the First Business Session by the advisor, 
Charles Luttjohann. The first order of business was the 
election of Credentials Committee chairman. Virgil Barnett was 
nominated for chairman. There being no further nominations, 
Virgil Barnett was elected chairman.
    The next order of business was the nomination and election 
of the secretary. Jerry Worthington was nominated and elected 
as secretary.
    The Credentials Committee met this morning in the 
Jasperwood Room at 7:00 o'clock at the New Orleans Hilton 
Riverside Hotel. Roll call showed 1,291 delegates; 50 
alternates. This is a partial report for informational purposes 
only and reflects the registration at the close of registration 
at 4:00 o'clock on July 28th. At the present time, we have 471 
chapters, 49 departments, 27 national officers, 10 past 
national commanders, for a total of 1,291 delegates, 50 
alternates, and a total vote of 10,540.
    This completes the partial report of the Credentials 
Committee, Commander. Thank you.
    Commander McMasters. The first order of business of this 
convention is the adoption of the Rules. Printed copies of the 
Rules have been furnished to each registered delegate. The 
Chair will entertain a motion for the adoption of the Rules.
    [Motion made from the floor.]
    Member. Comrade Commander, Massachusetts, Joseph R. Harold 
Chapter Number 10, seconds that motion.
    Mr. Anthony Fusco. Comrade Commander, Anthony Fusco, 
Brooklyn Chapter 28, New York.
    Commander McMasters. Okay, Mr. Fusco, I'll recognize you.
    Mr. Fusco. I move to amend the Rules to incorporate the 
change which has been placed on the delegates' chairs this 
morning.
    Commander McMasters. Would you please read that change so 
we all know what it is?
    Mr. Fusco. Yes, Mr. Commander. The following rule was 
discussed by the Convention Committee on Employment, and it is 
recommended to the national convention for adoption.

          RESOLVED to amend:
          Section 3.10, Rule 21(f), Committee on Employment. This 
        committee shall consider all matters concerning all forms of 
        employment of disabled veterans, as well as the preference 
        rights and examination, appointments, retention, promotions or 
        employment or reemployment rights in Federal Civil Service and 
        in state, county and city governments. This committee will also 
        consider matters relating to vocational rehabilitation, 
        education and training, except provided by Title 38 in U.S. 
        Code.

    The new reading will only be the last sentence, which will 
read: ``This committee will consider matters relating to 
vocational rehabilitation and training'' period.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Mr. Fusco. Is there 
support? Mike 3.
    Mr. Richard Christopher. Richard Christopher, past 
department commander, Massachusetts, Chapter 115, so seconds 
the motion.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. We have the motion and support. 
Are you ready for the question? Are you ready for the question? 
Ready for the question. All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. 
It's carried.
    I will now ask the national adjutant to read the Statement 
of Policy.
    Adjutant Wilson. The Disabled American Veterans was founded 
on the principle that this nation's first duty to veterans is 
the rehabilitation of its wartime disabled. This principle 
envisions:
    1. High quality hospital and medical care administered by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs for veterans with 
disabilities incurred or aggravated by service in America's 
armed forces.
    2. Adequate compensation for the loss resulting from such 
service-connected disabilities.
    3. Vocational rehabilitation and/or education to help the 
disabled veteran prepare for and obtain gainful employment.
    4. Enhanced opportunities for employment and preferential 
job placement so that the remaining ability of the disabled 
veteran is used productively.
    5. Adequate compensation to the widows and survivors of 
veterans whose deaths are held to be service-connected under 
laws administered by the Department of Veterans Affairs. It 
therefore follows that we will not take action on any 
resolution that proposes legislation designed to provide 
benefits for other than wartime, service-connected disability. 
We shall not oppose legislation beneficial to those veterans 
not classified as service-connected disabled, except when it is 
evident that such legislation will jeopardize benefits for 
service-connected disabled veterans.
    While our first duty as an organization is to assist the 
service-connected disabled, their dependents and survivors, we 
will, within the limits of our resources, assist others in 
filing, perfecting and prosecuting their claims for benefits.
    Since this represents the principle upon which our 
organization was founded, and since it is as sound at this time 
as it was in 1920, we hereby reaffirm this principle as the 
policy for the Disabled American Veterans.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. The Chair will entertain a 
motion to adopt the Policy Statement. Mike 3.
    Mr. Fusco. Anthony Fusco, Brooklyn 28, New York, makes the 
motion to adopt.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 1.
    Mr. James McCormick. Comrade Commander, McCormick, Chapter 
46, State of Washington, second the motion.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. The motion has been made and 
supported. Are we all ready for the question? All in favor, 
signify by Aye; opposed. It's carried.
    On July 11th, 141 new Ford vans left DAV National 
Headquarters for VA medical centers in 35 states and Puerto 
Rico. Today, those vans, purchased in partnership between the 
national organization and the departments and chapters 
nationwide, are serving veterans. As I speak, volunteers are 
using the new vans to transport sick and disabled veterans to 
and from VA medical centers for needed medical care.
    We can all be proud of this accomplishment, and I thank 
each and every one of you who worked so hard to make it happen.
    I wish everyone could have been present for the tremendous 
drive-away ceremony on July 11th. It was a truly impressive 
sight to see.
    Since I know many of you couldn't be there, we have a 
special treat for you. We brought along a video of the event. 
And after viewing this video, I believe you will agree with me 
when I say money spent to serve disabled veterans is money well 
spent.
    [Video presentation.]
    Commander McMasters. The film was quite a tribute to the 
DAV Transportation Network, wasn't it? Quite a tribute to all 
the DAV and Auxiliary members who make that program one of the 
greatest successes ever mounted by the volunteers of any 
organization bar none.
    It's also a tribute to a man of quiet strength, a man who 
understands the dedicated spirit of our members, a man whose 
great dream is to help those members achieve their own dreams 
of service to their fellow veterans and their families.
    An Air Force veteran of the Vietnam War, this man dedicated 
many years to our National Service Program. He knows service. 
He knows the deepest meaning of the word, whether that service 
is provided by a DAV NSO in a big city or a DAV member in a 
small rural town. He is a man who worked hard over the past 
three years to help rebuild the once shattered financial base 
of the Disabled American Veterans, and, more importantly, to 
rebuild the many services our employees and our members provide 
to those whose own service has kept America free and 
prosperous.
    I know the many long hours that one quiet, earnest man 
devoted to the success we saw in that film about our vans, and 
many other DAV successes as well. I remember the steady hand of 
his leadership. I remember his compassionate heart, a heart 
that beats in unison with the compassionate hearts of our rank 
and file members, his personal warmth, his intelligence, his 
kindness, his inner strength. These are the gifts he brings to 
life and these are the gifts he brings to the DAV.
    Ladies and gentlemen, here for this report to the national 
convention is our national adjutant, Art Wilson. [Applause]
    Adjutant Wilson. Thank you, Commander. I'm humbled by that 
introduction. Thank you, sir.
    With your permission, before I get started, I'd like to 
report to you a little bit on some of the activities of 
yesterday, and it's kind of a postscript to the great opening 
that we had. Before two hours had passed following the 
conclusion of our opening session, I was in my room and the 
phone rang, and it was Secretary Brown. And he was in his car 
in Washington. He'd flown back with the President on Air Force 
One.
    And I want to let you know, and he asked me to tell you 
that he apologizes for not staying last night as he usually 
does, to greet so many of you. He had a death in his immediate 
family, which he was aware of when he was here, but it was 
post-haste that he retreat to Washington soon.
    But he also wanted to tell me that he flew back to 
Washington with the President, and the President was 
emotionally moved by the reception and the warmth that you 
extended to him in his visit here yesterday, and that's a 
tribute to you. [Applause.]
    Thank you again, Tom, for that nice introduction, and let 
me take this opportunity to express to you my gratitude for the 
kind remarks you made about our DAV staff in your report 
yesterday.
    Make no doubt about it, you were right on the mark when you 
described the past year as one of extraordinary success. Each 
member at this convention has now received a copy of DAV's 
annual report, and I say to you the proof is in the pudding. 
But those on the national staff know that we're not alone in 
the responsibility for that success, not by a long shot.
    Tom, your support has been and remains tremendous and is 
very much appreciated.
    We'd also like to thank all of your national officers; our 
National Executive, Finance and Interim Committees; the great 
team of our national, department and chapter service officers; 
our hospital service coordinators; all of the selfless people 
who gave so generously of their time as volunteers in our VAVS, 
Transportation and other programs; everyone who takes part in 
our Benefits Protection Team initiative; all of our chapter and 
department leaders; and, of course, all of our wonderful DAV 
And Auxiliary members throughout this great country.
    What a team we are in the Disabled American Veterans! What 
an incredible team! You know, we're a remarkable organization, 
making remarkable contributions to the lives of disabled 
veterans and their families. You just saw dramatic evidence of 
that contribution in the film that we showed. What an 
achievement, sending 141 Transportation Network vans on the 
road in one single day.
    Just think about what that means to the thousands upon 
thousands who count on the DAV for a ride to that all-important 
VA medical treatment. Yes, our organization, and your work in 
our organization, have a deeply meaningful impact on the lives 
of individual veterans in our society as a whole.
    And I'd like to say a word of particular thanks to those 
chapters and departments that raise the funds and spent so 
generously from their accumulated assets in order to 
participate in the purchase of those vans. This is exactly the 
purpose for which DAV units raise money in the first place.
    As we all know, this isn't an achievement of any single 
part of the Disabled American Veterans. This great work grows 
out of a lively, thriving partnership that includes each and 
every one of us: Our national organization, our departments and 
our chapters; both the DAV and its Auxiliary; our HSCs; our 
volunteers; and our service officers, national, department and 
chapter.
    Take away any gear in that mighty engine of service, 
particularly our service officers and those individual members 
who supply nearly all of our volunteer force, and we're left 
with an engine that will not run. But our engine of service is 
running, it's running fast and it's running smoothly, because 
we work together.
    Our unity is the fuel for DAV's engine of service, our 
source of power as we live up to our purpose as it is laid out 
in the DAV Mission Statement, and I quote, ``building better 
lives for all of our nation's disabled veterans and their 
families.''
    You know, now I have something really great to tell you 
about, and you can't miss it. I didn't realize it was going to 
be that big. Commander McMasters and I and the Department of 
Colorado, and several other DAV leaders throughout the country, 
thought we should reinforce that unity wherever possible, and 
to do so in such a way that provides greater responsibility in 
the stewardship of DAV resources.
    To get that job done, we turned to a group of DAV leaders 
who offer a deep and thorough understanding of what stewardship 
means, the DAV National Service Foundation. You know, the DAV 
was built on a simple but powerful concept: the idea of one 
disabled veteran extending the hand of help to another. And 
what the Department of Colorado and the National Service 
Foundation are doing is extending that philosophy to a new 
level.
    We envision a vehicle by which DAV chapters and departments 
can help other chapters and departments as we strive to provide 
that promised DAV service. It's a means by which those who have 
been blessed can be of greater help to those who have not.
    There are some important factors driving the need to 
develop a greater equity in the way DAV resources are used to 
serve veterans, factors that are external to DAV. First, 
there's the National Charities Information Bureau, the NCIB, 
the most vigilant agency keeping an eye on our nation's 
nonprofit organizations. Though NCIB is not a government 
agency, it does not have plenty of clout. And their standards 
call for charities to have net assets available for the 
following fiscal year, usually not more than twice the current 
year's expenses.
    Now, I don't need to tell you that the DAV national 
organization, with only eight months of operating expenses in 
reserve, is well within the NCIB guidelines, but we all know 
that some chapters and a few departments and some Auxiliary 
units are not.
    Is this matter of serious concern? You can bet on it! The 
Internal Revenue Service is turning an ever sharper eye on the 
nonprofit community. They're taking about regulation far 
stricter than what we face today, and one of those very high-
profile targets is the accumulation of excess resources.
    Why did the National Executive Committee promulgate 
Regulation Number 9, which mirrors the NCIB's standard nearly 
word for word? You don't have to look any further than what I 
just shared with you about NCIB and IRS. The NEC didn't want 
the reputation of the entire DAV soiled because some in the DAV 
are hiding large sums of money. We don't need that type of 
coverage on the network news.
    Sure, these are three big sticks prompting the DAV to make 
sure that all chapters and departments do what darn near all 
chapters and departments are doing already, using their 
resources responsibly to meet the needs of their nation's 
veterans. If we have a stick, though, we should have a carrot, 
and that's the thought behind the new Colorado Trust, which 
will be a function of the DAV National Service Foundation.
    The sweet thing about this carrot is the way it doubles the 
money that chapters and departments invest in it. Every dollar 
a chapter or department puts in the Colorado Trust will be 
matched dollar for dollar by the national organization for up 
to $3 million a year.
    The program was named the Colorado Trust because the 
leaders of the Department of Colorado come forward looking for 
ways to help as many disabled veterans as possible. They, along 
with the National Service Foundation, are providing the seed 
money to get this project off the ground. And the Colorado 
Trust name will remain the same until someone else matches the 
generosity of the Department of Colorado.
    This program will pinpoint monetary aid where it's most 
needed to support the services of our chapters and departments 
that they provide for disabled veterans and their families. The 
fact is, this is a designated fund. Its monies can only be used 
for service projects, and that policy will govern all grants. 
But it will do much more than simply enhance the work of our 
chapters and departments. I believe this new program will 
reinvigorate the service posture of the entire DAV.
    Because of its promise, we will move deeper into the 
communities we serve and deeper into the lives of disabled 
veterans and their families. And we'll do so in such a way that 
is directed not so much by the national organization as by our 
chapters and our departments.
    And this is where the DAV National Service Foundation comes 
into the picture. As you may know, the Foundation is a separate 
nonprofit organization. It's not part of the DAV national 
organization. The Colorado Trust will be a separate fund within 
and administered by the Foundation, not the national 
organization of DAV. The fund will not be mixed with the other 
Service Foundation existing funds to which you have been 
donating for years and will make further contributions 
tomorrow.
    The new program does not change or interfere with the 
Foundation's current program in any way, nor will it affect the 
way contributions are made to the Foundation's standard 
programs. Rather, the Colorado Trust will be a separate 
designated account. Grants from the Trust will be made to 
chapters and departments upon the advice and recommendations of 
a special Advisory Committee made up of representatives from 
each of DAV's 21 national districts.
    And you'll find the details of how the Colorado Trust will 
work in a booklet that'll be distributed to you as you leave 
the hall this morning. But let me emphasize one point right 
now. There is a tremendous need out there among the veterans 
our organization was created to serve, and all of us, every one 
of us should keep in mind that thought today as we celebrate 
our diamond anniversary 75th National Convention.
    You know, the strings of the government's safety nets are 
coming unraveled under the weight of federal spending cuts. The 
support structures that disabled veterans have counted on for 
years are being slowly whittled away. Not only are the various 
components of the DAV family under pressure to spend down 
excess financial resources. At the same time, the veterans we 
serve are facing ever greater pressures in their daily lives.
    So much needs to be done for veterans on the wards of our 
hospitals. Needy veterans being cared for in their homes are 
waiting for our knock on their door. The psychiatrically 
disabled veteran who is living under America's bridges requires 
something more from us than just a hand-out. And the need goes 
on and on and on. We cannot, in good conscience, sit on our 
resources while these veterans are waiting for our help, some 
of them waiting in desperation. We cannot and must not deprive 
these veterans when we have on hand the resources to help them.
    You know, the national organization has made steady 
financial progress since 1993. However, our financial status is 
not as yet as strong as it should be. As I mentioned before, 
the national organization ended 1995 with barely eight months' 
reserve on hand. Well, I can tell you, if the NCIB or IRS are 
going to look at the DAV reserves with a jaundiced eye, it 
won't be the reserves of the national organization; it'll be 
those of our chapters and our departments.
    Yet facing the tremendous need that exists, the national 
organization is ready to take a risk. We're ready to spend up 
to $3 million annually from our reserves in order to set an 
example to those chapters and departments whose large reserves 
could bring embarrassment to the entire organization.
    But let's concentrate on the position side of what we're 
doing here. In the film that you just saw, the drive-away, we 
saw a terrific example of what can happen when the national and 
the department organizations and chapters work as a team. 
Together, as a team, we put $3 million out there to do 
something truly meaningful for disabled veterans who need VA 
medical treatment. And that, my friends, is what I call 
service. And together, as a team, we can also accomplish great 
things well into the future through the Colorado Trust, and 
doing so in such a way that's guided by our chapters and our 
departments.
    Following this convention, an announcement of this program 
will go to all chapters and departments, and the grants program 
will officially begin just as soon as possible. The promise of 
the Colorado Trust is really, really exciting, and that's why 
I'm excited now to invite to the podium the Department of 
Colorado leadership. Department Commander Jimmie Snider, 
Department Adjutant Mike Terry, Rudy Vargas, who's chairman of 
the Board of Directors for the department, and Sam Vigil from 
Chapter 7, would you please step forward, please. [Applause.]
    Mr. Samuel Vigil. I'm Vigil from Murphy Borelli, Chapter 
Number 7, Denver, Colorado. Given this golden opportunity at 
the 75th Annual Convention, National Convention, I'm making a 
donation to the National Service Foundation of Colorado Trust 
from the chapter in Murphy Borelli, a small chapter with a big 
heart, come up with enough money for $50,000 for the good 
cause.
    Thank you, Commander. [Applause.]
    Adjutant Wilson. Department Commander Jimmie Snider.
    Mr. Jimmie Snider. Art, at this time, I'd like to present 
you with a check from the Department of Colorado Disabled 
American Veterans also with the DAV eagle on it for you, a 
check for $500,000. [Applause.]
    Adjutant Wilson. For those of you in Chapter 7, they just 
said they didn't know the department was going to beat them on 
their amount. [Laughter.]
    Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you so much. You have now made 
the Colorado Trust a reality. Every member of the Department of 
Colorado can take pride that their organization was the first 
to step up to the challenge, and every single DAV member will 
be in your debt.
    Well, you know, Commander McMasters reminded me this 
morning that I owe you a report on more than one project. I'm 
going to keep this part of my remarks as brief as possible, 
asking each one of you to take time to read the 1995 annual 
report that was in your registration packet, and once you've 
done so, I know that you'll be pleased with your national 
organization.
    You'll see that we've made mighty strides in rebuilding the 
financial stability required for a sound DAV future. In that 
respect, I can't say enough about the help I receive from our 
entire staff, including Rick Patterson, executive director of 
National Headquarters, and I also offer my congratulations and 
gratitude to his staff: Inspector General Bob Gushee; 
Communications Director Tom Keller; fund-raising directors Max 
Hart and Jerry Lape; Comptroller Anita Blum; Charlie 
Luttjohann, assistant executive director for purchasing and 
membership; Greg Jackson, assistant executive director for 
administration and personnel; Charitable Programs Director 
Nancy O'Brien; Computer Service Center Manager, Dennis Painter; 
and all of our employees at Cold Spring Headquarters in Cold 
Spring, Kentucky.
    You know, the 1995 annual report also spells out the 
progress we made in service to disabled veterans and their 
families, and for that I want to personally thank Washington 
Headquarters Executive Director Dave Gorman; Service Director 
Ken Wolfe and his staff, Jerry Steelman, Tony Baskerville and 
Mike Walsh, and recently retired Darrel Babcock; Legislative 
Director Rick Schultz and his staff, Rick Surratt and Joe 
Violante and Len Gilmer, who now works in our Court of Veterans 
Appeals staff; and, of course, National Employment Director Ron 
Drach and Voluntary Services Director Bruce Nitsche.
    It's a huge team effort, and they do wonderful, wonderful 
work.
    And all of our staffs, you know, are fortunate to have 
great support teams, and these are the folks that make sure 
that we get it right the first time. And my personal thanks go 
to each and every one of those support personnel for everything 
that they do. Our employees in Cincinnati and Washington are 
doing a tremendous job, and they're doing it just for you.
    And what can I say about our national service officers and 
their staffs cross the country? What a dedicated group! These 
are the men and women who represent the DAV where the rubber 
meets the road in individual contacts with disabled veterans 
and their families every day. And last year they secured 
benefits for well in excess of 200,000 veterans, their 
dependents and survivors, and yes, they did that in just one 
single year. Our NSOs are the backbone of DAV's national 
organization, make no mistake about it, and I thank each and 
every one of them, as well as their clerical staffs.
    And now another important announcement, and this one might 
interest you even more. And I'm pleased to report to you that 
the National Headquarters Fund-Raising Program for departments 
is having another tremendous year. It's a little too early to 
say, but I suspect we'll see an additional distribution from 
this program at the end of this year, just like we did last 
December, and I'm sure that's good news for sure.
    Please encourage your members and your chapters to support 
this program. It's a winner across the board. It's a winner for 
all of us, particularly our departments, a winner for the 
hundreds of thousands of veterans who count on the services 
provided by those DAV departments.
    You know, I had a chance to visit several of our State 
organizations this spring as we progressed through our 
department convention season. And that's an odyssey I always 
enjoy, but this year the experience was particularly rewarding. 
I see a great deal of unity growing inside the DAV, and I don't 
mean to say that our departments and chapters are without 
problems, but I do see us pulling together quite nicely under 
the banner of a common purpose. And that's exciting, and I urge 
every one of you to keep the momentum going, for we in the 
national organization will keep that momentum going as well.
    We had a great membership year, but we're not about to slow 
down, because we can't. And the past year showed us that hard 
work is needed, and what hard work can really do. But you know 
and I know it's going to get tougher in the world of veterans' 
affairs. We need to involve everyone and keep everyone 
involved, and that's particularly true of the younger veterans 
who are now coming into our organization from the Gulf War and 
the other relatively recent conflicts.
    Finally, I can't sit down till I mention the issue of 
voting one more time. If there's one message that I want to 
share with you between now and November, it's this: Vote! Vote! 
If there's one message that I hope that you'll share with the 
members of your chapters and departments when you go home from 
this national convention it's vote! Vote!
    On a more personal note, the cause of our organization, its 
many programs and its voice before our government give real 
meaning to my life. Of the many things that I have in common 
with you, that commitment and the sense of fulfillment are the 
most special to me. Next to the joy I derive from the life of 
my own family, I take my greatest joy from sharing my life with 
you, the leaders and the members of the Disabled American 
Veterans.
    Thank you so much, and thank you for your attention to my 
message about the Colorado Trust, and thank for you for 
allowing me to serve as your national adjutant. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you very much, Mr. Wilson, for 
that incredible report.
    The Chair recognizes Mike 3.
    Mrs. Lee Borgen. Delegate Lee Borgen, commander of Prescott 
Chapter 16 in Arizona. As a proud member of District 18, 
Chapter 16 wishes to donate at this time $100 to the Colorado 
Trust. Permission to approach the podium.
    Commander McMasters. We'll make a note of that.
    At this time, the Chair will entertain a motion to accept 
the adjutant's report.
    Mr. Fusco. Comrade Commander, Anthony Fusco, Chapter 28, 
Brooklyn, New York. I'd like to make a motion that we accept 
Art's fine report and the hard work that Art does for this 
department.
    Commander McMasters. I recognize Mike 3 and accept the 
motion. Is there support? Mike 1.
    Mr. Frank Webb. Frank Webb, Chapter Number 9, Houston, 
Texas, seconds the motion.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. We have a motion and 
support. Are we ready for the question? Ready for the question? 
All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. It's carried. 
[Applause.]
    I would like to call on Charles D. Luttjohann, the 
membership director, for his report.
    Mr. Charles D. Luttjohann. Thank you. Thank you. Nice to 
see you all today. You know, just two short years ago, the DAV 
National Constitution and Bylaws were unanimously changed by 
the delegates at the Chicago national convention, transforming 
the DAV exclusively into a life membership organization. 
Already our members have taken full advantage of that program 
and have built the life membership count to 853,362 members, 
full paid life members, I might add, by the end of the last 
membership year. In addition, we have 229,076 members who are 
in the process of paying their full paid life membership. That 
comes to a total of 1,082,438 members, which is certainly a 
very staggering number.
    I think that's an exciting number, and it's exciting to me. 
But what's really exciting is last year, when you consider only 
27 departments made their national goal for membership, and 
then this year every single department in the entire country 
made their goal. Now, that's interesting to me. That's 
incredible! [Applause.]
    You know, when you look back at a few short years ago when 
people were struggling just to get annual members to make their 
goals, and now we're getting full paid life members, and we're 
still making our goals. In addition to every single department 
making goal, ten departments had every single chapter in their 
entire department make goal, which is also incredible.
    And I tell you what's neat about that. Let me give you 
three of them here: California, Florida and New York--which are 
the three largest departments in the country--every single one 
of their chapters made goal. So let's hear it for them. 
[Applause.]
    I think that's clearly an example of what can happen when 
Team DAV takes the field to play an essential role in securing 
better lives for America's disabled veterans.
    This is always the time each year when I have the 
opportunity to announce the winners of the individual division 
awards for overall membership recruitment, and if I could 
enlist the commander's assistance on this, I'd appreciate it.
    First I'd like to announce the winner of our Annual 
Wainwright Award, and that particular award is one that 
recognizes the department with the largest overall numeric gain 
in members, and the winner this year was the Department of 
California, and Larry Polzin is here to accept that award. 
[Applause.] That increase was 5,914 over last year's 
membership. By the way, the award recipients are eligible to 
say something, if you'd like. I don't want to run them off.
    Our next award is the Marx Award, which each year is given 
to the department with the highest percentage over their goal, 
and the recipient of that award this year is Alaska, and Jimmey 
Mayo, the department commander, will pick up that award. 
[Applause.]
    I'm not going to have Jimmey move here very far, because I 
don't want to wear him out today. The Department of Alaska has 
gotten to be pretty much a regular up here over the last four 
years, and the Division V winner this year for the highest 
percentage over their goal within that division was obviously 
Alaska, since they were the largest one in the entire country. 
So in addition to the plaque, Jimmey Mayo, as the department 
commander, wins the patented Master's membership jacket. We 
even went to green this year to signify the Master's in 
Membership. [Applause.]
    Now, that's enough. He's sticking around wanting to get 
more. That's enough.
    The Division IV winner this year was the Department of Iowa 
at 104.94 percent, and the recipient of that award will be 
Robert Wonderlich, the department commander. Robert, could you 
come up? [Applause.]
    The Department of Iowa also had all their chapters make 
goal, as did Alaska.
    Division III, the Department of Maryland with 101.98 
percent, and the recipient is Ray Chatary, department 
commander. Let's hear it for them. [Applause.] It's amazing how 
these fit every year, isn't it? [Laughter.] They're having to 
turn in their old ones. [Laughter.]
    Division II. Division II, the Department of Indiana. The 
Department of Indiana, as many of you will know that follow 
population summaries, didn't take a whole lot of time to make 
their hundred percent. They were on it about the time we got 
back from convention last year. The Department of Indiana has 
dedicated themselves to being a leader in membership, and they 
don't plan on giving up that leadership role.
    This year they won the Division II, and it wasn't anything 
real easy, because Arizona was right on their tail all the way 
and did a great job. But Indiana finished with 102.88 percent, 
and Ken Kersey is here, the department commander, to pick up 
the jacket. [Applause.]
    From Division I--Division I's always a battle. You've got 
the largest departments in the country, and they take a great 
deal of pride in who the winner is. And this year an old winner 
came back, and we're real proud of that. The Department of 
Florida, with 102.82 percent nudged out New York, and Harry 
Warburton is here to pick up the award, the department 
commander. [Applause.]
    Mr. Harry Warburton. I will thank the Department of Florida 
for the outstanding job. Thank you. [Applause.]
    Mr. Luttjohann. All right. That concludes the division 
winners.
    The only award that we have to present here today goes out 
to the top membership recruiter in the country. Anybody know 
who that might be? This year I didn't even write him a letter. 
I figured he'd show up here. He always does. For the last four 
years, he just shows up on stage about this time. This year, 
with kind of an astounding number of 1,195, my dear friend, 
Prospero Sodano from New York, is again our top membership 
recruiter. [Applause.]
    We've just about concluded his wardrobe here. He's got 
every color we can come up with. We're going to start going to 
pants next year.
    He doesn't want to say anything, but I'm telling you, that 
guy is a dynamo. He works membership, he lives membership. 
There was an article we did on him a while back, and his 
recommendation to anybody who wants to recruit members is 
follow up, follow up. And believe me, he does that. He's on 
people, and he's a dynamo, and we really appreciate him. 
Appreciate everything he does.
    At this time, I want to finish this off, and I wouldn't 
typically do this, but in my estimation, anybody that recruits 
over a hundred members has really done a lot of work. And I 
know we're on strict time schedule here today, and this takes a 
little time, but it takes an awful lot of time to get a hundred 
members, too.
    So I want to recognize these individuals, and we can kind 
of hold off until--yell if you want to, when I mention their 
names. But these people, I believe, surely deserve some 
recognition. First of all, Michael Mastrean, with 104 members; 
Stan Lore with 104. Go ahead and yell. Just because I'm 
talking, don't think you don't have to yell. Roger Bourgery 
with 104; Clyde Dartey, 105; Don Cox, 108; Stan Hoy; 108; 
Emmett Gore, 109; Bruce Kaplan, 112; Paul Newman, 114, makes 
movies, recruits. The guy's incredible!
    William Coley, 114; Ken Kursey, 127; Ray Chatary, 127; 
Billy Braswell, 129; Robert Sinclair, 131; Kenny Kooyman, 147; 
Gary Burns, 151; John Parker, 152; Larry Jatho, 167; Bob 
Winterstien, 207; Raymond Hemple, 220; Dennis Gooden, 226; Coy 
Hennis, 316. I always like to mention Coy. He's one of our 
primary volunteers, one of the top volunteer recruiters 
throughout the country, always does a great job.
    Jim Perciavalle with 392; and Richard Ladnier at 410, who 
was the runner up to Prospero this year.
    So let's hear it for all them, and thank you all and keep 
up the great work. And that concludes my report. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Charlie, for that report.
    I will now entertain a motion to accept the membership 
report. Mike 3.
    Mr. Richard Christopher. Richard Christopher, past 
department commander, Massachusetts, accepts the report.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. Is there support? Mike 1.
    Mr. Manuel F. Lozano. Manny Lozano, Chapter 195, Pearland, 
Texas. I second that motion.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. We have the motion and the 
second. Are your ready for the question? Ready for the 
question? All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. That's 
carried.
    At this time, I'll call on the National Finance Committee 
chairman, Earl D. Walker, for his report. Dean.
    NEC 20th District Earl D. Walker. National Commander 
McMasters, national officers, distinguished guests and fellow 
members of the Disabled American Veterans: Let me begin my 
report by recognizing my fellow members of the National Finance 
Committee: National Commander Tom McMasters; 12th District NEC 
Dorothy Schilling of Wisconsin; 13th District NEC Glen Vogel of 
Indiana; and 15th District NEC Francis McLaskey of Iowa.
    As chairman of the National Finance Committee, I'm very 
pleased to deliver my report regarding the financial position 
of the national organization through the first six months of 
1996. During the first six months of 1996, the DAV sent out 
32.3 million pieces of fund-raising mail, and we expect to mail 
61.2 million by the end of the year.
    These mailings produced $40.2 million in gross revenue as 
of 30 June. We believe gross revenues will reach $85.1 million 
by year's end. That's a $2 million increase over 1995.
    Our 1996 mailings included 4.3 million pieces sent to DAV 
members under the Department Fund-Raising Program. The national 
organization expects to raise sufficient funds to meet the $3.1 
million distribution it is committed to make.
    And though it is too early for promises, National expects 
to net more than $3 per member that is promised to departments. 
If this hope is realized, departments will see an additional 
distribution this November, as they did at the end of last 
year.
    The success of the Department Fund-Raising Program reflects 
very favorably upon our management and professional staff, our 
rank-and-file employees, the National Finance Committee and, 
most importantly, our members who give generously to the 
success of this program and the services we provide.
    Over the past three years, the management and volunteer 
leadership of the DAV has been watching the Life Membership 
Fund with an eye toward ensuring its long-term viability. As of 
30 June, 1996, the Life Fund had a net reserve of $75 million. 
This compares to $78.3 million at the same time last year. On 
July 1, 1996, the Fund distributed $12.3 million to the 
national organization, chapters and departments.
    The robust performance of the stock market over the last 
year and a half has strengthened the Fund's financial position. 
Two years of decreased distributions from the Fund have also 
lessened the burden on the Fund.
    However, despite the Fund's excellent performance over the 
past 18 months, it must still be closely monitored. Based on 
reasonable projections and economic assumptions, we will still 
have 385,000 members by the end of 2009, when the Fund's 
balance will be depleted.
    This is an improvement over what we heard in the Finance 
Committee's report a year ago, but the situation still clearly 
bears watching.
    Before closing, let me thank the other NFC members, 
National Adjutant Art Wilson, DAV's professional staff, and 
you, Commander McMasters. I am grateful for the support you've 
given me in my role as Finance Committee chairman. It has been 
an honor to serve on this important committee, but it has been 
an even greater pleasure to watch the DAV rebuild the financial 
strength it needs as it marches forward in the future.
    All of us understand that we are still traveling along the 
road toward the level of financial stability we believe our 
organization should enjoy. But the dark years are clearly in 
our past. Today we can take comfort and courage from the rapid 
progress we have made.
    Commander McMasters, this concludes my report.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Dean. Thank you for all the 
hard work this year.
    Mike 1.
    Mr. Frank Webb. Commander, Frank Webb, delegate from 
Chapter Number 9, Houston, Texas, makes a motion to accept his 
report with gratitude and thanks.
    Commander McMasters. There's a motion on the floor. Is 
there support? Mike 3.
    Mr. Christopher. Richard Christopher, past department 
commander, Massachusetts, so seconds the motion.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. The motion has been made and 
supported. Are you ready for the question? Ready for the 
question? All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. It's carried. 
[Applause.]


    Commander McMasters. At this time, the Chair will entertain 
a motion that the lists of delegates and alternates selected by 
the 21 national districts and the Blind Veterans Chapter to 
serve on convention committees be admitted into the record of 
the proceedings of the convention. Is there someone to offer 
that motion? Mike 3.
    Mr. Alan W. Bowers. Alan Bowers, department commander, 
moves action on that motion.
    Commander McMasters. Mr. Bowers, could you please----
    Mr. Bowers. Massachusetts Department commander.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. We have the motion. Is 
there support? Mike 1.
    Mr. Cecil Stevenson. Stevenson, past national commander, 
seconds the motion.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. We have the motion and support 
that the lists of delegates and alternates selected by the 21 
national districts and the Blind Veterans Chapter to serve on 
convention committees be admitted into the record of the 
proceedings of this convention. Ready for the question? Ready 
for the question? All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. It's 
carried.
    [Whereupon, the following are DAV National Convention 
Committees:]

            1996 NATIONAL CONVENTION, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA            
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                  Name (Delegate and    Chapter No. and 
            District                  alternate)             State      
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS                        
                                                                        
01..............................  Frank J. Drogo....  NEC Del District  
                                                       56               
(Alt)...........................  Joseph A. Cosa....  Massachusetts 056 
02..............................  Sal R. Tornatore..  NEC DEL District  
                                                       60               
(Alt)...........................  Donald R. Warren..  New York 060      
03..............................  Stanley J. Hoy....  New Hampshire 001 
(Alt)...........................  Gordon J. Forrett.  Vermont 015       
04..............................  Michael A.          New Jersey 025    
                                   Christie.                            
(Alt)...........................  Joseph S. Wingate.  New Jersey 041    
05..............................  Harding Byrd......  Pennsylvania 015  
(Alt)...........................  Neno Peconi.......  Pennsylvania 053  
06..............................  Raymond Chatary...  Maryland 007      
(Alt)...........................  None..............  ..................
07..............................  Carolyn Virgil....  Florida 029       
(Alt)...........................  Michael Sorrentino  Florida 135       
08..............................  Jerry Worthington.  Tennessee 003     
(Alt)...........................  Billy R. Johnson..  Tennessee 116     
09..............................  Richard P. Geary..  North Carolina 016
(Alt)...........................  Jimmie Fraizer....  Georgia 000       
10..............................  Russell Spalding..  Michigan 020      
(Alt)...........................  Frank C. Krolczyk.  Michigan 127      
11..............................  William L. Moseley  Ohio 057          
(Alt)...........................  Raymond H.          Ohio 063          
                                   Hutchinson.                          
12..............................  Rosemarie R. Pitz.  Wisconsin 017     
(Alt)...........................  Robert Jansky.....  Illinois 022      
13..............................  Jesse L. Wright...  Kentucky 000      
(Alt)...........................  Harry S. Gaylord..  Kentucky 149      
14..............................  Alice J. Faulstich  Minnesota 001     
(Alt)...........................  William L.          Minnesota 001     
                                   Faulstich.                           
15..............................  Shirley R. Turner.  Missouri 002      
(Alt)...........................  Colon J. Busby....  Iowa 060          
16..............................  Patrick J. Carroll  California 012    
(Alt)...........................  Donald W. Stephen.  California 144    
17..............................  Kenneth D. Harden.  New Mexico 003    
(Alt)...........................  John L. Richard...  New Mexico 003    
18..............................  Robert C. Freitas.  Hawaii 000        
(Alt)...........................  Daniel R. Frias...  Hawaii 006        
19..............................  Virgil A. Barnett.  Idaho 022         
(Alt)...........................  Robert W. Vietz...  Washington 000    
20..............................  Roland A. Paquette  Texas 057         
(Alt)...........................  Derrell G. Neal...  Texas 175         
21..............................  Robert D. Cohoon..  Oklahoma 074      
(Alt)...........................  Thomas J. Davis,    Oklahoma 000      
                                   Jr.                                  
Blind Vets Chapter..............  Robert H. Dawson..  National Blind    
                                  Jarrett C. Quigley  National Blind    
Advisor: Charles D. Luttjohann.                                         
                                                                        
             COMMITTEE ON GENERAL RESOLUTIONS AND MEMBERSHIP            
                                                                        
01..............................  James H. Tanner...  Massachusetts 010 
(Alt)...........................  Edward R. Finn....  Massachusetts 010 
02..............................  Vincent A.          New York 027      
                                   Chiovarelli.                         
(Alt)...........................  Ronald D. Tears...  New York 015      
03..............................  Raymond V.          New Hampshire 000 
                                   Ritchotte.                           
(Alt)...........................  Ronald Nowe.......  New Hampshire 003 
04..............................  Kenneth A.          New Jersey 042    
                                   Grunewald.                           
(Alt)...........................  Redell G. Lewis...  Connecticut 009   
05..............................  Wilbert O'Neill...  Pennsylvania 061  
(Alt)...........................  Constance R.        Pennsylvania 057  
                                   Manocha.                             
06..............................  Ronald L. Smith...  Maryland 023      
(Alt)...........................  Robert V. Richard.  District of       
                                                       Columbia         
07..............................  James E. Sursely..  Florida 016       
(Alt)...........................  David Clayman.....  Florida 152       
08..............................  Jack W. Redell....  Louisiana 020     
(Alt)...........................  Charles Beaton....  Louisiana 020     
09..............................  Barry I. Souders..  North Carolina 005
(Alt)...........................  Coy W. Hennis.....  North Carolina 020
10..............................  John F. McCullough  Michigan 003      
(Alt)...........................  Billie-Nita Clark.  Michigan 093      
11..............................  Thomas K. Keller..  Ohio 103          
(Alt)...........................  David C.            Ohio 036          
                                   Uetterling.                          
12..............................  Philip C. Kreisa..  Wisconsin 019     
(Alt)...........................  Thomas Pappas.....  Illinois 042      
13..............................  Paul F. Wiggins...  Kentucky 019      
(Alt)...........................  John F. Houston...  Indiana 019       
14..............................  Harry F. Vandemore  South Dakota 001  
(Alt)...........................  Emmett P. Botten..  Minnesota 001     
15..............................  Everett Wilson....  Nebraska 000      
(Alt)...........................  Dennis L. Young...  Kansas 001        
16..............................  George E. Morey...  California 059    
(Alt)...........................  Howard Sites......  California 007    
17..............................  Benjamin Palomino.  Colorado 006      
(Alt)...........................  Paul W. Jackson...  Colorado 007      
18..............................  Charles N. Baker..  Nevada 011        
(Alt)...........................  Marco A. Espinosa.  Arizona 016       
19..............................  David Reeves......  Oregon 004        
(Alt)...........................  Guillermo J. Pajo.  Washington 035    
20..............................  Billy E. Wright...  Texas 219         
(Alt)...........................  Barie G. Poore....  Texas 001         
21..............................  Harold D. Pinney..  Oklahoma 003      
(Alt)...........................  Robert F. Klee....  Arkansas 001      
Blind Vets Chapter..............  Robert J. Burns...  National Blind    
                                  Buddy Spivey......  National Blind    
Advisors: Jerry P. Steelman and Rick Surratt.                           
                                                                        
              COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATION AND VETERANS RIGHTS              
                                                                        
01..............................  Robert C. Sinclair  Massachusetts 114 
(Alt)...........................  Michael M. Maloof.  Massachusetts 002 
02..............................  Donald A. Sioss...  Past Natl         
                                                       Commander        
(Alt)...........................  William Novak.....  New York 005      
03..............................  Harry Mannine.....  Vermont 000       
(Alt)...........................  Gary P. Burns.....  Maine 001         
04..............................  Alfred Faticoni...  Connecticut 008   
(Alt)...........................  Charles A. Kashner  Delaware 000      
05..............................  John E. Ogozaly...  Pennsylvania 098  
(Alt)...........................  Calvin R. Hall....  Pennsylvania 064  
06..............................  Hugh M. Ferguson..  Maryland 000      
(Alt)...........................  None..............  ..................
07..............................  Richard E. Giese..  Florida 028       
(Alt)...........................  Ernest H. Hartman.  Florida 094       
08..............................  Lawrence L. Morris  Tennessee 003     
(Alt)...........................  Archbishop Forbes.  Tennessee 003     
09..............................  Phillip J. Seep...  North Carolina 016
(Alt)...........................  Torrance L. Adcock  South Carolina 030
10..............................  Harold W. La        Michigan 045      
                                   Ponsie.                              
(Alt)...........................  Eric D. Berryman..  Michigan 013      
11..............................  Eural E. Johnson..  Ohio 035          
(Alt)...........................  Richard M.          Ohio 098          
                                   Stoughton.                           
12..............................  Desmond Fortner...  Illinois 024      
(Alt)...........................  Paul H. Marheine..  Wisconsin 002     
13..............................  Joseph S. Carroll.  Indiana 052       
(Alt)...........................  Harry G. Erway....  Kentucky 155      
14..............................  Robert J. Connor..  Minnesota 002     
(Alt)...........................  Henry H. Sadler...  Minnesota 010     
15..............................  Prezell Frazier...  Iowa 020          
(Alt)...........................  Roger B. Drucker..  Nebraska 007      
16..............................  Don J. Pouliot....  California 002    
(Alt)...........................  Astro A. Tortolano  California 011    
17..............................  William Karr......  Colorado 007      
(Alt)...........................  Caroline D. Mason.  Colorado 021      
18..............................  Sharon A. Borgen..  Arizona 016       
(Alt)...........................  Fred F. Narcaroti.  Arizona 016       
19..............................  Charles W. Chapin.  Idaho 000         
(Alt)...........................  Dale P. Westlake..  Washington 045    
20..............................  James T. Smith....  Texas 009         
(Alt)...........................  Claude J. Boggs...  Texas 128         
21..............................  Lloyd G. McCool...  Arkansas 056      
(Alt)...........................  Bob Baley.........  Arkansas 000      
Blind Vets Chapter..............  ..................  National Blind    
Advisors: Thomas L. Tomlinson and Richard F.                            
 Schultz.                                                               
                                                                        
                  COMMITTEE ON CONSTITUTION AND BYLAWS                  
                                                                        
01..............................  Thomas J. Daley...  Massachusetts 049 
(Alt)...........................  Francis J. Daly...  Massachusetts 022 
02..............................  Sally Wilson......  New York 126      
(Alt)...........................  Alfred W. Nowak...  New York 120      
03..............................  Kenneth J. Kooyman  Rhode Island 012  
(Alt)...........................  Paul A. Wekenmann.  Rhode Island 009  
04..............................  Charles A. Carroll  New Jersey 000    
(Alt)...........................  James H. Fox......  New Jersey 024    
05..............................  Daniel R. Parker..  Pennsylvania 058  
(Alt)...........................  Joseph H. Buhl....  Pennsylvania 053  
06..............................  David L.            Virginia 015      
                                   Tannenbaum.                          
(Alt)...........................  German Bravo-Perez  Puerto Rico 001   
07..............................  John C. McCarthy..  Florida 004       
(Alt)...........................  Jimmy B. Meeks....  Florida 028       
08..............................  Hollis O. Bridges.  Alabama 026       
(Alt)...........................  Raymond E. Webb...  Alabama 013       
09..............................  Wallace E. Tyson..  North Carolina 046
(Alt)...........................  David Nesbitt.....  South Carolina 013
10..............................  Bonnie Maile......  Michigan 001      
(Alt)...........................  Donald R. Crull...  Michigan 001      
11..............................  Jack F. Feighner..  Ohio 001          
(Alt)...........................  Paul A. Hughes....  Ohio 117          
12..............................  Clyde E. Dartey...  Wisconsin 019     
(Alt)...........................  James J. Ferrara..  Illinois 055      
13..............................  Kenneth C. Kersey.  Indiana 000       
(Alt)...........................  Wallace E. Haskins  Kentucky 155      
14..............................  Wayne W. Blue.....  Minnesota 001     
(Alt)...........................  Jackie A. Owen....  Minnesota 022     
15..............................  Jim Edge..........  Kansas 000        
(Alt)...........................  Jerry Bay.........  Missouri 067      
16..............................  Kenneth G.          Past Natl         
                                   Musselmann.         Commander        
(Alt)...........................  Robert Salisbury..  California 094    
17..............................  Leon J. Kerstner..  Colorado 026      
(Alt)...........................  Dianah Nelson.....  Wyoming 000       
18..............................  Chas. D. Vincent..  Arizona 001       
(Alt)...........................  Robert E. McCallum  Arizona 001       
19..............................  Anne M. Ruppert...  Alaska 002        
(Alt)...........................  Jon C. Price......  Washington 005    
20..............................  William A. Bone...  NEC Del District  
                                                       57               
(Alt)...........................  Harry I. Kabler...  Texas 057         
21..............................  Donald M. Sampson.  Oklahoma 005      
(Alt)...........................  Clark H. Rogers...  Oklahoma 005      
Blind Vets Chapter..............  David May.........  National Blind    
                                  Dan Holden........  National Blind    
Advisors: Fred Bristol and Edward G. Galian.                            
                                                                        
                      COMMITTEE ON FINANCE AND DUES                     
                                                                        
01..............................  Arthur S. Cushing.  Massachusetts 017 
(Alt)...........................  Arthur F. Kingsley  Massachusetts 115 
02..............................  David H. Wilson...  New York 000      
(Alt)...........................  Michael R. Marrone  New York 082      
03..............................  Edward S.           New Hampshire 001 
                                   Lastowski.                           
(Alt)...........................  Richard L.          Vermont 000       
                                   Decoteau.                            
04..............................  Richard J.          Connecticut 000   
                                   Hennesey.                            
(Alt)...........................  Herbert G. Henn...  New Jersey 032    
05..............................  Charles M. Turik..  Pennsylvania 067  
(Alt)...........................  Dwayne R. Deist...  Pennsylvania 000  
06..............................  William D. Wiggins  National Officer  
(Alt)...........................  George W. Parrish.  District of       
                                                       Columbia         
07..............................  Charles E. Heiney.  Florida 125       
(Alt)...........................  Walter R. Baker...  Florida 072       
08..............................  John A. Smith.....  Mississippi 011   
(Alt)...........................  James V. Mars.....  Mississippi 011   
09..............................  Gilbert Grier.....  Georgia 018       
(Alt)...........................  Billy J. Nix......  Georgia 001       
10..............................  David E. Smith....  Michigan 003      
(Alt)...........................  Dennis N. Emery...  Michigan 129      
11..............................  Gary R. Akers.....  Ohio 000          
(Alt)...........................  Harlan F. Plummer.  Ohio 071          
12..............................  George M. Isdale..  Illinois 000      
(Alt)...........................  Werner J. Schalow.  Wisconsin 005     
13..............................  Fred A. Sutton....  Indiana 009       
(Alt)...........................  Glen E. Vogel.....  Indiana 045       
14..............................  Dick A. Haan......  Minnesota 001     
(Alt)...........................  Jerome G. Krejci..  North Dakota 002  
15..............................  Walter Head.......  Missouri 000      
(Alt)...........................  Tom Morrissey.....  Nebraska 007      
16..............................  Joel C. Devenish..  California 043    
(Alt)...........................  Lewis D. Flanigan.  California 085    
17..............................  Hector D. Salgado.  New Mexico 033    
(Alt)...........................  Albert C. Derby...  Colorado 001      
18..............................  William D.          Nevada 013        
                                   Brzezinski.                          
(Alt)...........................  Henry A. Redding..  Nevada 034        
19..............................  Irene L. Martin...  Washington 045    
(Alt)...........................  Harold E. Wiley...  Washington 046    
20..............................  Eugene T.           Texas 012         
                                   Arrendale.                           
(Alt)...........................  Raymond A.          Texas 010         
                                   Rapisand.                            
21..............................  Frank E. Nye......  Oklahoma 049      
(Alt)...........................  Chesley Rutledge..  Oklahoma 029      
Blind Vets Chapter..............  ..................  National Blind    
Advisors: E. Dean Walker and Richard E. Patterson.                      
                                                                        
                         COMMITTEE ON EMPLOYMENT                        
                                                                        
01..............................  Vincent P. Reed...  Massachusetts 025 
(Alt)...........................  John P. Rogers....  Massachusetts 115 
02..............................  Anthony Fusco.....  New York 000      
(Alt)...........................  Alvin L. Burks....  New York 076      
03..............................  Ronald W. Reilly..  New Hampshire 004 
(Alt)...........................  Roger A. Bourgery.  Vermont 003       
04..............................  Salvatore Lo Sauro  New Jersey        
(Alt)...........................  Justus Kehne......  Delaware 008      
05..............................  M. Rae White......  Pennsylvania 086  
(Alt)...........................  Joseph J. Baldwin.  Pennsylvania 098  
06..............................  Juan Mandes-Pagan.  Puerto Rico 001   
(Alt)...........................  Phillip W. Turpin.  Virginia 003      
07..............................  Albert Sorrentino.  Florida 030       
(Alt)...........................  Charles C. Perkins  Florida 040       
08..............................  James M. Cox......  Louisiana 030     
(Alt)...........................  Louis R. Ketchum..  Louisiana 030     
09..............................  Ernest H. Stroud..  South Carolina 014
(Alt)...........................  Hugh A. Mathis....  South Carolina 005
10..............................  John F. McComb....  Michigan 013      
(Alt)...........................  Ben Benzing.......  Michigan 018      
11..............................  Joseph K. Shepherd  Ohio 131          
(Alt)...........................  David R. Helton...  Ohio 115          
12..............................  James R. Harris...  Illinois 047      
(Alt)...........................  Joseph F. Guido...  Wisconsin 005     
13..............................  William A.          Kentucky 019      
                                   Reinhart.                            
(Alt)...........................  Lowell H. Spalding  Indiana 019       
14..............................  Chester D.          Minnesota 010     
                                   Hrdlicka.                            
(Alt)...........................  Richard D. Ryan...  North Dakota 000  
15..............................  Clifford M.         Kansas 001        
                                   Piersee.                             
(Alt)...........................  George Nickolas...  Iowa 002          
16..............................  John F. McCoy.....  California 019    
(Alt)...........................  Ruben R. Trejo....  California 039    
17..............................  Veda M. Jones.....  Utah 000          
(Alt)...........................  Donald C. Lougee..  Colorado 022      
18..............................  Thomas Caenen.....  Nevada 000        
(Alt)...........................  David G. Rock.....  Arizona 025       
19..............................  Jon C. Price......  Washington 005    
(Alt)...........................  Michael C. Kiser..  Washington 005    
20..............................  Armando C.          Texas 014         
                                   Albarran.                            
(Alt)...........................  Paul S. Hilliard..  Texas 003         
21..............................  Jimmie S. Foster..  Oklahoma 032      
(Alt)...........................  Donald R. Cox.....  Arkansas 057      
Blind Vets Chapter..............  ..................  National Blind    
Advisors: Mike Godich, Jr. and Ronald W. Drach.                         
                                                                        
              COMMITTEE ON HOSPITAL AND VOLUNTARY SERVICES              
                                                                        
01..............................  Richard Stentiford  Massachusetts 080 
(Alt)...........................  Edmund Corey......  Massachusetts 032 
02..............................  Bernard L.          New York 185      
                                   Robidoux.                            
(Alt)...........................  Claude A. Nelson..  New York 047      
03..............................  Harold F. Smith...  Maine 000         
(Alt)...........................  Bruce E. Kaplan...  Maine 006         
04..............................  Maurice E. Aims...  Connecticut 008   
(Alt)...........................  Louis B.            New Jersey 003    
                                   Washington.                          
05..............................  George I. Ford....  Pennsylvania 014  
(Alt)...........................  Eugene Davis......  Pennsylvania 015  
06..............................  Thomas C. Johns...  Maryland 007      
(Alt)...........................  Sloan H. Hoopes...  Virginia 003      
07..............................  Robert F. Melville  Florida 085       
(Alt)...........................  Elmer L. West.....  Florida 091       
08..............................  Francis L. Weaver.  Mississippi 011   
(Alt)...........................  Gerald E.           Mississippi 011   
                                   Humphries.                           
09..............................  William L. Coward.  Georgia 027       
(Alt)...........................  Louis Bodgan......  South Carolina 067
10..............................  Margherita Dupras.  Michigan 022      
(Alt)...........................  Roy A. Redmond....  Michigan 002      
11..............................  Harry E. Duffala..  Ohio 116          
(Alt)...........................  Jesse R. Stefanics  Ohio 009          
12..............................  Loran I. Bumpus...  Illinois 028      
(Alt)...........................  Vernon E.           Wisconsin 001     
                                   Schilling.                           
13..............................  Michael A.          Indiana 052       
                                   Whelihan.                            
(Alt)...........................  Harold L. Soult...  Indiana 052       
14..............................  Bruce T. Tuman....  Minnesota 009     
(Alt)...........................  Delbert Nelson....  Minnesota 001     
15..............................  Douglas E. Meeks..  Nebraska 000      
(Alt)...........................  Albert E. Miller..  Missouri 001      
16..............................  Henry A. Veillette  California 073    
(Alt)...........................  James C. Jenkins..  California 036    
17..............................  John O. Ognie.....  Colorado 007      
(Alt)...........................  None..............  ..................
18..............................  Donald F. Schmitt.  Arizona 016       
(Alt)...........................  William W. Wright.  Arizona 020       
19..............................  Harold Stevens....  Idaho 000         
(Alt)...........................  Mallory A. Hansen.  Oregon 028        
20..............................  Samuel Berman.....  Texas 009         
(Alt)...........................  Frank L. Webb.....  Texas 009         
21..............................  Frances Liotta....  Oklahoma 032      
(Alt)...........................  Robert W. Ellis...  Arkansas 007      
Blind Vets Chapter..............  ..................  National Blind    
Advisors: Henry Veillette and Norman B. Hartnett.                       
                                                                        
              COMMITTEE ON NOMINATION OF NATIONAL OFFICERS              
                                                                        
01..............................  Alan W. Bowers....  Massachusetts 000 
(Alt)...........................  Thomas J. Daley...  Massachusetts 049 
02..............................  Anthony L. Mirando  New York 145      
(Alt)...........................  Prospero Sodano...  New York 118      
03..............................  Joseph D.           Maine 000         
                                   MacDonald.                           
(Alt)...........................  Burton E. Packard.  New Hampshire 001 
04..............................  Joseph Trulio.....  New Jersey 000    
(Alt)...........................  John A. Higgins...  New Jersey 073    
05..............................  Jim Wyatt.........  Pennsylvania 115  
(Alt)...........................  William J.          Pennsylvania 057  
                                   Stockell.                            
06..............................  Joseph Reeves.....  Virginia 041      
(Alt)...........................  James Stewart.....  Maryland 007      
07..............................  Dennis A. Joyner..  Florida 104       
(Alt)...........................  Albert H. Linden..  Florida 090       
08..............................  Wendell Davis.....  Alabama           
(Alt)...........................  Thurston Mosely...  Alabama 000       
09..............................  James R. Murray...  North Carolina 012
(Alt)...........................  Michael J.          South Carolina 051
                                   Truscello.                           
10..............................  Leo J. Le Roux....  Michigan 114      
(Alt)...........................  Lowell G. McKeehan  NEC Alt District  
                                                       10               
11..............................  Andrew J. Offutt..  Ohio 103          
(Alt)...........................  Samuel E. Lanza...  Ohio 011          
12..............................  Ken Kuehnl........  Wisconsin 000     
(Alt)...........................  Ted Buck..........  Illinois 000      
13..............................  Franklin D.         Indiana 027       
                                   Littleton.                           
(Alt)...........................  James S. Powers...  Indiana 000       
14..............................  Gene A. Murphy....  Past Natl         
                                                       Commander        
(Alt)...........................  Joseph M.           North Dakota 002  
                                   Litzinger.                           
15..............................  Francis E.          NEC Del District  
                                   McLaskey.           15               
(Alt)...........................  Franklin C.         NEC Alt District  
                                   Bergguist.          15               
16..............................  Michael W.          California 001    
                                   Tempesta.                            
(Alt)...........................  Clyde Maddox......  California 028    
17..............................  Rudolph R. Vargas.  Colorado 022      
(Alt)...........................  Michael H. Terry..  Colorado 007      
18..............................  Lester L. Leichty.  Arizona 018       
(Alt)...........................  Robert T. Fletcher  Arizona 020       
19..............................  Jimmey W. Mayo....  Alaska 000        
(Alt)...........................  Frank Puleo.......  Washington 045    
20..............................  Bruce W. Burgess..  Texas 128         
(Alt)...........................  Andrew Flemming...  Texas 009         
21..............................  Irvin D. Eddy.....  Oklahoma 032      
(Alt)...........................  Cecil Stevenson...  Arkansas 026      
Blind Vets Chapter..............  Floyd O. Britting.  National Blind    
Advisors: Gene A. Murphy and William E. Leach.                          
------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Commander McMasters. I'm now going to call on the chairman 
of the Hospital and Voluntary Services Convention Committee for 
his report. Mr. Tom Johns.
    Mr. Thomas C. Johns. Thank you, Commander. Good morning. 
Thank you, Commander. Comrade Commander and delegates: The 
National Convention Committee on Hospital and Voluntary 
Services was called to order for its first business session on 
July 29th, 1996 by the committee advisors, Norman B. Gabby 
Hartnett and Hank Veillette. The first order of business was 
the election of a convention committee chairman. Thomas C. 
Johns was nominated for chairman. There being no further 
nominations, nominations were closed, and Thomas C. Johns was 
elected chairman.
    The next order of business was the nomination and election 
of the secretary. Hank Veillette was nominated and elected as 
secretary of the committee.
    The committee then proceeded to review the resolutions 
submitted, and I will now report to you the resolutions 
recommended for adoption by this national convention. For the 
purpose of saving time, I will read only the number and the 
RESOLVED portions of those resolutions.
    Number 19, that the Disabled American Veterans in 
department convention assembled in Pierre, South Dakota, May 9 
to 11, 1996, seek the enactment of adequate appropriations for 
the funding of the Department of Veterans Affairs medical care 
program and vigorously oppose any further reduction DVA health 
care personnel.
    Number 61, that the national legislative director of the 
Disabled American Veterans oppose legislation that would 
require disabled retired veterans or their dependents to pay a 
user fee or charge to use military medical clinics and other 
outpatients facilities and to appear before the Armed Services 
Committees of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives or 
any committee which could implement a user's fee for the use of 
military or DVA outpatient medical clinics by disabled retired 
service personnel.
    Number 94, that the Disabled American Veterans in District 
4 convention assembled in Houston, Texas, March 9 and 10, 1996, 
seeks the enactment of legislation mandating the provisions of 
health care services, inclusive of gender-specific services by 
VA to eligible women veterans to the same degree and extent 
that services are provided to eligible male veterans, inclusive 
of counseling and/or psychological services incident to sexual 
violence; and be it further resolved that we urge VA to 
strictly adhere to stated policies regarding privacy issues 
relating to the treatment of women veterans and to pro-actively 
seek innovative methods to ensure women veterans receive the 
treatment they so rightfully deserve.
    Number 97. The regional VA hospital administrator issue a 
directive allowing patients to hand-carry their medical records 
in security bags which would allow the records to be at the 
scheduled clinics on time. The directive should also apply to 
any outpatient clinic that is located away from the main 
medical facility.
    Number 111, that the Disabled American Veterans at National 
Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 27 to 
August 1, vigorously support legislation that would require 
stricter adherent to the Department of Veterans Affairs in 
medical facilities to stated policies providing separate and 
distinct female in-patient rooms, bathroom facilities; to 
provide consistently adequate gender-appropriate treatment and 
facilities for the Department of Veterans Affairs health care 
system.
    Number 168, that the Department of Massachusetts Disabled 
American Veterans assembled in state convention at Fitchburg, 
Massachusetts, June 1996, supports legislation to allow medical 
examinations and treatment for Persian Gulf veterans who are 
believed to be suffering from a disease which may be related to 
service in the Gulf War, and that such entitlement should be 
extended until definitive answers can be established concerning 
the Gulf-War related illnesses.
    Number 253, that the DAV National Convention assembled in 
New Orleans, Louisiana supports legislation in Congress that 
would authorize an increase in the charitable use standard 
mileage rate deduction to 16 cents per mile, which would 
reinstate the 1984 relationship with the business use standard 
mileage rate deduction; and be it further resolved that such 
legislation would authorize that the charitable use standard 
mileage rate deduction be permanently fixed to a fair 
percentage of the business use standard mileage rate deduction.
    Number 266, that the DAV National Convention continue to 
supports the established mission and objectives of the state 
veterans homes programs, and that the VA pay each state a per 
diem rate adequate for the continuum of providing quality care; 
and that it be further resolved that the program receives 
adequate funding for the construction, expansion, remodeling or 
acquisition of state veterans home facilities.
    Number 267, that the DAV National Convention in New 
Orleans, Louisiana vigorously opposes any national health 
insurance plan which proposes to incorporate the VA hospital 
system and has the effect the diminishing the VA's role of 
being the federal entity with primary responsibility for 
providing health care services to disabled veterans.
    Number 268, DAV National Convention in New Orleans opposes 
any legislation that would require the VA to recover third-
party payments for the care and treatment of veterans's 
service-connected disabilities.
    Number 269. The convention supports the enactment of 
legislation which would promote a broader and greater degree of 
sharing between the health care systems of the Department of 
Veterans Affairs and of the Department of Defense.
    Number 270, that the DAV Convention in New Orleans, 
Louisiana supports legislation guaranteeing access and a full 
continuum of care with guaranteed funding, maintaining VA as 
the primary responsible entity for the delivery of health care 
to eligible veterans and establishing an entitlement to VA 
health care services for a clearly defined category of 
veterans.
    Number 271, that the convention in New Orleans, Louisiana 
vigorously oppose a co-payment for service-connected disabled 
veterans in order to receive VA medications.
    Number 272, that the convention in New Orleans supports the 
enactment of legislation to amend Section 1728(a)(2) of Title 
38, U.S. Code providing for the consideration of reimbursement 
of certain medical expenses incurred by former prisoners of 
war.
    Number 273. The DAV Convention in New Orleans supports the 
enactment of legislation requiring VA to assume the total 
financial liability of such care for service-connected disabled 
veterans in the same manner and using the same criteria that 
outpatient services are furnished under Section 212, Title 38, 
U.S. Code.
    And I know you're ready for this, the last one, Number 274. 
DAV Convention in New Orleans, Louisiana go on record strongly 
recommending that each facility, although integrated, be 
permitted to retain their separate local VAVS Committees and 
volunteers with separate records and award ceremonies as at 
present prior to the integration.
    I would like to thank all the members of the committee for 
their hard work. We got through the meeting fairly well this 
morning, got a lot of work done.
    Comrade Commander, this completes the report of the 
Committee on Hospital and Voluntary Services, and I move the 
adoption of these resolutions and that the committee be 
discharged with the thanks of the national convention.
    [The above-mentioned resolutions follow:]

                    RESOLUTION NO. 019--LEGISLATIVE

 supporting adequate funding for the va health care program including 
                                staffing
    WHEREAS, underfunding of the VA Medical Care Program continues to 
hamper the VA's ability to provide timely, complete and quality health 
care to veterans; and
    WHEREAS, the Office of Management and Budget continues to seek 
reductions in the number of VA health care personnel; and
    WHEREAS, the results of fewer personnel equates to a reduced number 
of available and operating hospital beds for the treatment of eligible 
veterans; and
    WHEREAS, adequate funds should be provided to maintain and improve 
medical care for all of America's wartime disabled veterans in order to 
ensure that they will continue to receive medical care second to none; 
NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks the enactment of adequate appropriations for the funding 
of the VA Medical Care program and vigorously opposes any further 
reduction in VA health Care personnel.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 061--LEGISLATIVE

  opposing the imposition of user fees for outpatient medical care at 
                      military medical facilities
    WHEREAS, military retirees have earned the right, by virtue of 
service to this Nation, to utilize military medical facilities to meet 
their medical care needs and those of their dependents; and
    WHEREAS, this earned benefit has been established by the Congress 
through the enactment of legislation entitling military retirees and 
their dependents to utilize military medical facilities to meet their 
medical care needs; and
    WHEREAS, the charging of a user's fee would adversely impact upon 
military retirees' financial and medical well-being; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes any proposal that will require military retirees, or 
their dependents, to be charged a user's fee in order to obtain 
outpatient medical services at military medical facilities.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 094--LEGISLATIVE

  supporting adequate medical services and benefits for women veterans
    WHEREAS, women veterans accounted for 4.3 percent of the total 
veteran population in 1990, by the year 2000 women will represent 5.3 
percent of all veterans, and by 2040 they will make up about 11 percent 
of the total veteran population; and
    WHEREAS, women have always provided meaningful contributions to our 
armed services over the course of our Nation's history, most recently 
exemplified by the 33,000 women who served honorably in Southwest Asia 
performing combat and combat support functions; and
    WHEREAS, a recent General Accounting Office (GAO) report found that 
problems continue to confront women veterans when attempting to gain 
access to VA health care services, and VA remains unable to fully 
ensure privacy for women veterans; and
    WHEREAS, many women seeking VA health care find services 
unavailable or personnel unprepared to understand or deal with their 
specific needs; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks enactment of legislation mandating the provision of 
health care services, inclusive of gender-specific services, by VA to 
eligible women veterans to the same degree and extent that services are 
provided to eligible male veterans, inclusive of counseling and/or 
psychological services incident to sexual violence, AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge VA to strictly adhere to stated 
policies regarding privacy issues relating to the treatment of women 
veterans and to proactively seek innovative methods to ensure women 
veterans receive the treatment they so rightly deserve.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 097--ADMINISTRATIVE

 to allow veterans to hand carry their medical records to appointments
    WHEREAS, veterans' medical records are presently transferred by the 
medical records section to clinics for veterans's appointments; and
    WHEREAS, records may not be timely transferred between clinics in 
instances of multiple appointments; and
    WHEREAS, this results in inefficiency and inconvenience for 
physicians; and
    WHEREAS, the present procedure may cause delays for the veteran 
whose record is unavailable and subsequently scheduled veterans; and
    WHEREAS, allowing veterans to transport their own medical files for 
appointments would alleviate many problems; NOW
    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, urges the Veterans Health Administration of VA to issue a 
directive allowing patients to hand carry their medical records, 
appropriately secured, to clinic appointments.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 111--ADMINISTRATIVE

   to provide consistently adequate gender-appropriate treatment and 
  facilities by the department of veterans affairs health care system
    WHEREAS, current Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) policies 
requires gender-oriented facilities for inpatient and outpatient 
treatment at VA medical facilities; and
    WHEREAS, many of these facilities do not, in fact, provide 
appropriate and distinct gender-specific inpatient rooms, bathroom, 
treatment rooms and outpatient chaperoning for the privacy and dignity 
of female veteran patients; and
    WHEREAS, we believe the VA needs to provide consistent guidance and 
enforcement of their stated gender-sensitive policies; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, vigorously supports strict adherence by each VA medical 
facility to stated policies providing separate and distinct female 
inpatient rooms, bathroom facilities, adequate and gender-appropriate 
treatment room equipment, and inpatient/outpatient female attendants 
during examining procedures to assure privacy and dignity to female 
veteran patients.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 168--ADMINISTRATIVE

     medical screening and treatment for persian gulf war veterans
    WHEREAS, American Armed Forces personnel were exposed to myriad 
environmental hazards in the Southwest Asia theater of operations 
during the Persian Gulf War; and
    WHEREAS, the full nature, extent, and consequences of this exposure 
is yet unknown; and
    WHEREAS, many Persian Gulf War veterans suffer from poorly 
understood, undiagnosed illnesses with a wide array of symptoms, 
commonly referred to as Persian Gulf Syndrome; and
    WHEREAS, the unique nature of these medical problems warrants 
special consideration and liberal authority for examinations, 
diagnoses, and treatment; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports the provision of continuing specialized examinations 
and medical treatment procedures for Persian Gulf War veterans.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 253--LEGISLATIVE

 in support of an increase in the standard mileage rate deduction for 
           use of private automobile in charitable activities
    WHEREAS, the DAV, on a national and local level, administers many 
worthwhile programs for veterans and their families utilizing volunteer 
services; and
    WHEREAS, current law authorizes unreimbursed, out-of-pocket 
expenses incurred by volunteers who render services to certain 
charitable organizations, such as the DAV, to be deducted for federal 
income tax purposes; and
    WHEREAS, when a volunteer operates an automobile in providing such 
services, the volunteer may deduct actual, out-of-pocket expenses (gas, 
oil, tolls, parking fees) or use a standard mileage rate deduction 
(plus tolls, parking fees); and
    WHEREAS, the current charitable use standard mileage rate 
deduction, set in 1984, is fixed at $0.12 per mile; and
    WHEREAS, this rate has not kept pace with the increased costs of 
operating an automobile, nor has it maintained its 1984 relationship 
with the standard mileage rate deduction for business purposes; and
    WHEREAS, an increase in the charitable standard mileage rate 
deduction is necessary in the interest of fairness and, more 
importantly, in the promotion of volunteerism and charitable services; 
NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation in the Congress that would authorize an 
increase in the charitable use, standard mileage rate deduction to 
$0.16 per mile, which would reinstate the 1984 relationship with the 
business use, standard mileage rate deduction; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that such legislation would authorize that 
the charitable use, standard mileage rate deduction be permanently 
fixed to a fair percentage of the business use, standard mileage rate 
deduction.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 266--LEGISLATIVE

              supporting the state veterans' home program
    WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) projects the 
number of veterans over the age of 65 will increase dramatically, 
peaking at 8.9 million by the year 1999; and
    WHEREAS, state veterans' homes are able to offer and provide 
quality nursing home, long-term, domiciliary, and hospital care to 
veterans in a cost-effective manner; and
    WHEREAS, there will be an ever-increasing number of veterans 
seeking the type of assistance offered by state veterans' homes due to 
advancing age and associated medical conditions; and
    WHEREAS, most planning, alterations and renovations for 
construction, expansion and/or modernization are predicated upon the 
availability of VA grant funds; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, continues to support the established mission and objectives of 
the State Veterans' Homes Program and that VA pay each state a per diem 
rate adequate for the continuation of providing quality care; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the program receive adequate funding 
for the construction, expansion, remodeling, or acquisition of state 
veteran's home facilities.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 267--LEGISLATIVE

opposing the inclusion of the va hospital system in any national health 
                             insurance plan
    WHEREAS, proposals to make the Department of Veterans Affairs 
hospital system part of a National Health Insurance plan have been 
suggested; and
    WHEREAS, it is the policy of the Disabled American Veterans to 
preserve high quality VA hospital and medical care for veterans with 
disabilities incurred in or aggravated by service in America's Armed 
Forces; and
    WHEREAS, the inclusion of the VA hospital system in a national 
health insurance plan would eliminate VA's ability to continue its 
special medical care programs, specifically designed for the treatment 
of veterans whose disabilities are incident to military service; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, vigorously opposes any national health insurance plan which 
proposes to incorporate the VA hospital system, or has the effect of 
diminishing the VA's role of being the Federal entity with primary 
responsibility of providing health care services to disabled veterans.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 268--LEGISLATIVE

    opposed third--party payments for service--connected disability
    WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA's) mission is to 
provide high quality medical care to veterans eligible by reason of 
their service-connected disabilities; and
    WHEREAS, VA has the right to recover or collect the cost of care 
from third-party health insurers when insured veterans receive health 
care from VA for nonservice-connected conditions; and
    WHEREAS, the collection of payments from third parties for the 
treatment of veterans' service-connected disabilities would abrogate 
VA's and Federal Government's responsibility to provide such care and 
may result in increased premium payments to veterans; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes any legislation that would require VA to recover 
third-party payments for the care and treatment of a veterans' service-
connected disability(ies).
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 269--LEGISLATIVE

 in support of increased sharing of resources between the health care 
  systems of the department of veterans affairs and the department of 
                                defense
    WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Department 
of Defense (DoD) currently administer programs which provide a full 
range of medical care services to veterans, active duty personnel, 
military retirees and dependents; and
    WHEREAS, due to years of inadequate funding and increasing needs on 
the part of beneficiaries, both the VA and DoD health care systems are 
experiencing a crisis which endangers their respective missions; and
    WHEREAS, since 1982, the VA/DoD Health Resources Sharing and 
Emergency Operations Act has authorized sharing arrangements between 
these two systems for the purpose of minimizing duplication and under 
utilization of resources and promoting cost-effectiveness and 
improvement in the delivery of care; and
    WHEREAS, many VA and DoD treatment facilities have entered into 
sharing agreements that have proven mutually beneficial and enhanced 
their ability to provide hospital and medical care services; and
    WHEREAS, existing statutory constraints and less than concise and 
clear leadership directives from Washington, D.C., stand as a barrier 
to a full realization of this VA/DoD sharing potential; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports the enactment of legislation that would promote a 
broader and greater degree of sharing between the health care systems 
of the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 270--LEGISLATIVE

   supporting the provision of comprehensive department of veterans 
           affairs health care services to entitled veterans
    WHEREAS, it is the position of the Disabled American Veterans that 
veterans should be afforded quality and timely health care services by 
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) because of their honorable 
service to our Nation; and
    WHEREAS, for well over a decade VA has been faced with the dilemma 
of ever-increasing demand for medical care and perennially inadequate, 
decremental budgets; and
    WHEREAS, because of various statutory and administrative barriers, 
veterans are denied adequate health care implicitly promised in 
connection with their military service; and
    WHEREAS, there is a critical need to clearly define eligibility for 
VA care, the services that will be provided, and how the system will be 
funded; and
    WHEREAS, any reform of VA must encompass, as a minimum, the 
following:
          Entitlement to care guaranteeing access to a full continuum 
        of care from preventive through hospice;
          Guaranteed funding through adequate appropriations, third 
        party reimbursements and ``start-up'' transition funding;
          Preserving VA's mission and role as a provider of special 
        services in areas such as blindness, amputation, aging, mental 
        health, and long-term care;
          Reduced centralized bureaucracy, permitting local medical 
        facility directors to utilize resources in the most efficient 
        and economical manner; and
          Maintaining the integrity of an independent VA health care 
        delivery system as representing the primary responsible entity 
        for the delivery of health care services to entitled veterans; 
        NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation following the concepts and principles 
embodied above--establishing an entitlement to VA health care services 
for a clearly defined category of veterans.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 271--LEGISLATIVE

 opposing copayments by service-connected disabled veterans to receive 
                      va prescription medications
    WHEREAS, the ``Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990,'' (Public 
Law 101-508) imposes a $2.00 copayment for certain service-connected 
disabled veterans in order to receive VA prescription medications; and
    WHEREAS, the payment of copayment, for each 30-day supply of a 
prescribed medication causes financial hardships on veterans required 
to take multiple medications; and
    WHEREAS, the creation of such copayments was intended purely for 
the purpose of overall Federal budget reductions; and
    WHEREAS, service-connected disabled veterans have done more than 
their fair share and have already paid the price for earned entitlement 
to VA medical services; and
    WHEREAS, the imposition of prescription copayments is another 
earned benefit being denied service-connected disabled veterans; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, vigorously opposes a copayment for service-connected disabled 
veterans to receive VA medications.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 272--LEGISLATIVE

   provide for reimbursement of certain medical expenses for former 
                            prisoners of war
    WHEREAS, current law extends eligibility to former prisoners of war 
for hospital care, as well as outpatient treatment for any disability; 
and
    WHEREAS, former prisoners of war have endured numerous hardships 
and dietary deficiencies as a result of their internment; and
    WHEREAS, former prisoners of war may require medical treatment of 
an emergent nature to a degree that any delay could be hazardous to 
their health or life; and
    WHEREAS, a Department of Veterans Affairs health care facility may 
not be feasibly available to provide the necessary emergency medical 
care; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports the enactment of legislation to amend section 
1728(a)(2) of title 38 U.S.C., providing for the consideration of 
reimbursement of certain medical expenses incurred by former prisoners 
of war.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 273--LEGISLATIVE

      supporting the provision of community residential care as a 
          responsibility of the department of veterans affairs
    WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has the 
authority--section 1730, title 38 U.S.C.--and utilizes such authority 
to assist veterans for placement in a community residential-care 
facility; and
    WHEREAS, VA's authority to assist veterans is limited to suitable 
placement in and approval of such facility after an appropriate 
inspection to determine compliance with certain established and defined 
health and safety standards; and
    WHEREAS, VA is not responsible for, nor assumes any financial 
liability for veterans residing in such facilities, receiving room and 
board, personal care and supervision, as an integral, necessary 
component of their overall treatment regime; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports the enactment of legislation requiring VA to assume 
the total financial liability of such care for service-connected 
disabled veterans, in the same manner and using the same criteria that 
outpatient services are furnished under section 1712, title 38 U.S.C.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 274--LEGISLATIVE

             supporting retention of local vavs committees
    WHEREAS, the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, the Honorable Jesse 
Brown, recently directed the integration of the sixteen VA Medical 
Centers into seven medical centers; and,
    WHEREAS, each of these VA medical centers have their own corps of 
volunteers and local VAVS Committees, with their own distinctive 
identity and pride; and
    WHEREAS, to combine them into groups identified with only the lead 
medical center would cause a loss of individual identity and pride in 
the several facilities they now serve and possibly lead to decreased 
support of volunteers and donations; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, go on record strongly recommending that each facility, 
although integrated, be permitted to retain their separate local VAVS 
Committees and volunteers, with separate records and award ceremonies 
as at present (prior to integration).
                                 ______
                                 
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Mr. Johns. Is there support 
for his motion. Mike 2.
    Mr. Chad Vale. Chad Vale, Chapter 16, Illinois, makes a 
motion to accept these resolutions as read.
    Commander McMasters. We have the motion already on the 
floor. Would you like to support that motion? Mike 2, the 
motion has been made. Would you like to support that motion?
    Mr. Vale. Yes.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. Thank you. We have the motion on 
the floor. The motion's been made and supported. Ready for the 
question? All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. It's carried.
    Congressman Steve Buyer was elected to the United States 
House of Representatives in 1992. He is in his second term 
representing Indiana's Fifth Congressional District, which 
includes 20 counties in North Central Indiana.
    He is a member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and 
is chairman of the Education, Training, Employment and Housing 
Subcommittee. He has been a pioneer on health issues affecting 
active duty personnel and veterans and their families.
    During his first term in Congress, he co-authored 
legislation that provides health care and other aid to Persian 
Gulf veterans who suffer from as-yet undiagnosed illnesses 
known as Gulf War Syndrome.
    Congressman Buyer received his bachelor's degree in 
business administration from the Citadel and was commissioned 
as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army. He received his law 
degree from Valparaiso University School of Law in 1984. 
Following law school, he returned to active duty for three 
years with the United States Army as a member of the Judge 
Advocate General's Corps, where he was assigned as a special 
assistant to the U.S. Attorney in Virginia.
    In the fall of 1990, he was called to serve in the Persian 
Gulf War. Currently he serves as a member of the Army Reserve, 
where he holds the rank for major.
    Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming 
Congressman Steve Buyer. [Applause.]
    Congressman Steve Buyer. Thank you very much, Commander 
McMasters, and Senior Vice-Commander Greg Reed of Indiana. I 
know the Auxiliary national president is not in the room, but I 
pay respects to Barbara Hicks, and also to Indiana State 
Commander Ken Kersey is here, and the rest of my Indiana 
comrades who hopefully are setting over here. All right, guys.
    I also want to open up by sharing an insight with you, and 
the insight is that as I've served now for four years on the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee, I have enjoyed a working 
relationship with two individuals who are serving you and your 
organization very, very well. I don't believe there's anyone 
that is more sincere than these two gentlemen and they are very 
earnest in their efforts and their sincerity, and that is Rick 
Schultz and Ron Drach.
    I also want you to know that I bring greetings from Bob 
Stump, the chairman of the Veterans' Affairs Committee in the 
House. I also bring greetings from a very good friend and 
colleague of mine and a comrade of all of us, and that is Sonny 
Montgomery. [Applause.]
    I want to share something with you, that in the 1960s there 
was a scene that occurred that's played all across America. In 
the 1960s, I was a little boy that used to stand on the 
sidewalk holding a little American flag as I watched these 
Legionnaires and the DAV and VFW come marching up the street. 
They called it marching; I wasn't sure what it was. But they 
were coming down the street. And I was there, probably there 
anxious really to pick up the brass, so that I could pick up 
that brass and blow into it.
    But you know, I want you to know that I came from an 
American Legion family. My father is presently a district 
commander for the American Legion, and my mother just a few 
weeks ago was elected the Indiana State Auxiliary president of 
the American Legion. So I come from a family that has lived 
veterans' issues, and I didn't dream, I guess, in the 1960s 
that I would now stand here humbly before you as a life member 
of Amvets, the American Legion and the VFW.
    I suppose that individuals who know me, have seen me speak, 
know that I don't mix words. I'm very direct, very blunt, and I 
guess candor is a bastard term in Washington, D.C., but I think 
being straight with people is what's important. And I also 
suppose that using the satire of Secretary Brown's remarks 
yesterday, I am the ``Young and Restless,'' trying to turn this 
country into ``Another World,'' that throws children out of 
hospitals.
    You see, ladies and gentlemen, that is called partisan 
politics, and I know that the VSOs pride themselves on 
bipartisanship. But I also know that we should be 
straightforward with ourselves.
    I mean, I know that when my father ran for the district 
commander, the only place I know that there's more politics is 
perhaps in Little League. Right? (Laughter) I mean, to say 
there isn't politics in our organizations, let's be truthful 
with ourselves.
    But if the Secretary has become very partisan in his 
politics, I accept that, I really do. I just don't believe that 
you should use veterans and veterans' issues to legitimize 
political causes. I think that's wrong. You see, no one ever 
asked me, and I'm sure no one ever asked you that when you 
stood and took the oath, whether you were Republican or whether 
you were a Democrat. When you wore the uniform, you wore the 
uniform to defend the Constitution to lay down your life to 
protect this country.
    And that is the same sincerity in which I serve on the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee. We pride ourselves on the 
Veterans' Affairs Committee in our bipartisan nature on the 
issues, and it is led by the pace, by Chairman Stump and 
Ranking Member Montgomery.
    Let me also share with you that as the ``Young and 
Restless,'' I believe we can do better. That's why I'm the 
``Young and Restless,'' whether it's improving the economy to 
our families, to the environment or our moral fiber. You see, I 
believe that our country still needs you. They still need you, 
because there are individuals in our society that try to seek 
and change us from a country that was established on very 
strong Biblical principles to a country of humanistic 
principles, that people can do whatever they want so long as it 
feels good and doesn't hurt others, whether it's from same sex 
marriages to you name it.
    I believe that what guides a country through the storm of 
chaos is a good moral fiber, a strong and deep rudder, and with 
individuals at the helm who are strong in character. It's easy 
to sail a boat on a windless day under blue sky and on calm 
seas, but to carry that boat through stormy waters into the 
chaos, you need good moral fiber and good strong character.
    That's why your country still needs you. That's why your 
communities still need you. Because individuals in your 
community look up to you.
    National character is extremely important. I believe that 
there are many things and places that define our national 
character. Our strength comes from our struggles and our 
triumphs, from the revolution where revolutionaries first ran 
at Lexington Green, to the place on the Old North Bridge in 
Concord, Massachusetts that marks the spot where merchants and 
farmers first took a stand and challenged the British Army on 
April 19th of 1775.
    Our national character, though, is clearly defined through 
the emotions of war. War has been with us through the ages. 
From those of us who have participated to others who've 
witnessed, stories have been told and written, each capturing 
some form of glory. War may be glorious in verse or prose, but 
in reality it is not. It is the soldier, the sailor, the airman 
or the Marine who felt the cold stings of battle, they've 
witnessed the long dark shadows of horror, and they've 
challenged the face of death.
    You see, war is not glorious, but glory is found in new 
levels of courage exercised from the American character, common 
people called upon to perform uncommon acts of valor. And 
through that sacrifice, our challenge is that it shall never be 
in vein. We have a very strong heritage, a very strong 
heritage. As a member of the National Security Committee and 
the Veterans' Affairs Committee, I take my responsibilities 
very serious, because it begins the day someone takes an oath 
all the way to the bronze marker laid upon the grave.
    Let me begin by thanking the President of the United States 
for his remarks yesterday in regard to terrorism. I worked as a 
conferee on the anti-terrorism bill and with the Senate, and 
went with Henry Hyde down to the White House for the signing of 
that bill. I think his remarks were very appropriate.
    It also shows that the world is still yet a dangerous 
place, that the Russian bear has been replaced by a thousand 
vipers, that this is no time to deeply cut the budgets of the 
defense. It's easy to say I'm for a strong defense, but you 
must look at the deed. While the Cold War is over, I think the 
U.S. security interests endure, and as we move into closing 
years of the 20th century, our nation faces a series of new and 
serious challenges.
    As the sole remaining super power, the United States is 
called upon to provide stability and leadership in the 
uncertain world, and we can do that by providing the regional 
stability, not involving the United States in every corner of 
the world for what is termed as moral obligations, placing our 
troops under these powder blue hats and saying now they're 
extending Americans' cause. No. It must be done to protect 
vital national security interests.
    History shows us that now is not the time to reduce our 
military forces, yet the greatest open secret in Washington, 
D.C. and to the world is that we have a national security 
objective to fight and win two nearly simultaneous major 
regional conflicts. The reality is, ladies and gentlemen, we do 
not have a military force structure to do that. We should do a 
reassessment of our national security objectives and be honest 
and open with our allies, whether it be in the Pacific Rim to 
the European Theater.
    The current estimates are that the military forces are 
presently underfunded from the bottom-up review--I don't care 
if it's from the most liberal estimate to the most conservative 
estimate--from 60 to a hundred billion shortfall. Sixty to a 
hundred billion! The defense spending continues to decline. The 
House proposal for the FY '97 budget at $266.7 billion, when 
adjusted for inflation, represents the 12th straight year of 
decline in defense spending.
    When measured as a share of the GDP, defense spending will 
only be 2.2 percent level since before World War II. You should 
also note from our budgetary concerns that interest payment on 
our national debt exceeds what we pay for national defense for 
the first time in our history.
    Since the end of the Cold War, we have cut 11 Air Force 
fighter wings, 8 active Army divisions, 200 ships, a 27 percent 
cut in the active military manpower. This year in testimony 
before the House National Security Committee, the chairman of 
the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Shalikashvili, stated that 
to maintain readiness, to maintain military readiness, he 
needed $60 billion in the procurement account to replace the 
aging equipment. The chairman went on to say that we have 
preserved readiness and forestructure at the expense of 
modernization.
    You see, in the President's budget that was provided, 
provide only 38.9 billion, the lowest level in over 50 years. 
We are living off our procurement and our O and M for today and 
sacrificing the future. You need to know that.
    You know that because individuals such as myself are 
attacked. We're attacked by their saying, ``Well, Steve, you're 
plussing up defense at levels that the Pentagon's not even 
asking for.'' Well, there's some gamesmanship that is going on 
here, ladies and gentlemen. The gamesmanship is that they don't 
want the defense spending to go up, so they cut deep into 
defense. As a matter of fact, the cuts went so deep into 
places, we didn't even have funding for 475 million for the 
military health care delivery system. Like what? We're not 
going to pay doctors and nurses? So we have to plus the budget 
to actually provide for readiness in O and M, and I wanted you 
to know that.
    Let me share some outlines with you with regard to our 
veterans' issues. Oh, before I do that, let me share one other 
thing with you. With Sonny Montgomery leaving the Congress--
Sonny has not only done great work on behalf of veterans in the 
country, what he has done in his service to the nation on 
national security issues is just as admirable. What Sonny has 
done in the total force concept for the integration of the 
Reserve, the National Guard with the active force, has been 
remarkable over the years.
    With Sonny leaving, Paul McHale, Democrat from 
Pennsylvania, and I have formed a Reserve Components Caucus. I 
believe it will take--and 50 members have signed up to it--I 
think it will take about 52 of us members to equal Sonny 
Montgomery and what he's done. But I wanted you to know what 
we've done in that cause for the interest of our Reserve 
components to include the Coast Guard, the National Guard, and 
all Reservists.
    I am also standing here pleased and proud with the 104th 
Congress and its accomplishments on behalf of veterans. The 
104th Congress, I believe, is extending its honor to their 
nation's veterans, and we're also keeping the faith. The 
veterans' funding has increased. Veterans' programs have been 
and will continue to be the high priority program in this 
Congress.
    According to the House Budget Committee, the total VA 
spending from 37.8 billion in FY '96 has increased to 39.8 
billion in FY '97. During the next six years, more than 234.3 
billion will be spent on veterans' programs, 19.7 billion more 
than the previous six years; funding increases, even though the 
number of veterans is estimated to decline by 11 percent, or 
2.6 million by year 2002.
    One thing I want to be up front with you is the budget that 
was sent to us by the President. The President's budget did not 
pass muster. The House VA HUD appropriations bill. We spend 
eight million more on VA medical care and research in FY '97 
than the President's budget, and 10.6 billion more than the 
President's budget over six years. We spend 10.6 billion more 
than the President's budget over six years.
    I know the President was here, and he said, you know, 
``I've asked for an increase of $1 billion, and they cut it.'' 
I want you to note that the $1 billion plus-up is made in a 
political presidential season, that when you look at the out 
years, even Secretary Brown called the budget cuts devastating 
to the VA.
    Let me share with you, in the subcommittee we took up the 
issue--and it's one that you've discussed with many other VSOs, 
except for the American Legion--the Davenport versus Brown 
decision to bring back the service connection with voc. 
rehabilitation. Out of my subcommittee became the bill that 
passed the House Veterans' Affairs Committee and has passed the 
House. We overturned that decision, and we came up with money 
in the process.
    The President's budget wanted to take all that money and 
put it to deficit reduction. I said No. We put over $230 
billion back into veterans' program. When we have an 
opportunity to streamline veterans's programs and increase 
them, then let's do it. So I felt very good about being able to 
overturn this decision and find monies.
    The 230 billion, let me give you a quick outline of the 
program improvements and their six years' cost and what they 
include. They are allowing the surviving spouse to retain 
compensation or pension payments prorated to the date of death 
instead of the end of the month before a veteran died. That was 
a $70 million increase. We're also increasing from one to two 
years the period of time for which accrued benefits are payable 
to a surviving spouse in the case of a veteran who dies while a 
claim is being adjudicated. That's an increase of $17 million.
    Establishing a pilot program under which contract 
physicians would provide disability examinations to applicants 
for VA benefits was an increase of 14 million. We also 
increased the automobile allowance. That's an increase of six 
million. We extended the homeless veterans' reintegration 
project through fiscal year 1999, authorizing appropriations in 
the amount of ten million per year. We also increased the 
authorized funds to legal assistance organizations representing 
financially needy veterans in proceedings before the U.S. Court 
of Veterans' Appeals. That's at a cost of six million.
    I also increased the Montgomery GI Bill active duty monthly 
basic rates to $421.62. That was a cost of $92 million. We're 
also allowing the transfer of certain active duty service 
members to the Montgomery GI Bill from the post-Vietnam era 
educational assistance program. That's an increase in cost of 
$18 million. We're also providing Montgomery GI Bill 
eligibility for certain active duty members of the Army and Air 
National Guard. That was at $14 million. We're also removing 
the two-year restriction on all standard degree granting 
institutions.
    And veterans are being told that spending is being 
decreased when in fact it's being increased. I wanted to share 
that with you. Five hundred million increase over 1996 in VA 
health care for FY `97 in the House VA HUD appropriations bill 
is 60 million more than what the President had requested.
    The congressional budget--I'm going to say it again--
provides $10.6 billion more over the VA over the next six years 
than the President's budget. And Secretary Brown was before us 
at the full Veterans' Affairs Committee when he said that the 
President's budget in the out years is devastating the VA and 
therefore, he said, ``I received this assurance from the 
President that we get to negotiate the budget year by year.''
    Well, if you negotiate the budget year by year, then please 
tell me up front where you're taking the money from? Where are 
you going to take the money from? And they're unwilling to 
discuss that.
    Tomorrow--I wanted you to know also what's happening on the 
House floor--the House will pass H.R. 3118. It's reforming the 
VA health care eligibility to move the VA from a costly in-
patient model. The VA will provide all needed outpatient care 
services, including preventive care and home health care. 
That's been in a bipartisan nature. I believe it will pass 
overwhelmingly on the House floor.
    The House will also pass H.R. 3586 tomorrow, which will 
extend veterans' preference eligibility to all veterans with at 
least four years of service upon honorable discharge. This bill 
extends veterans' preference to all agencies. As I sat there in 
my office, I kept thinking, why is it we're not applying 
veterans' preference across the board? And as we're down-sizing 
government in these RIF procedures, there is a culture within 
the bureaucracies that has a bias against veterans.
    Let's make sure that the veterans are protected, and that 
the veterans' preference has meat in it. And so we are 
extending veterans' preference to all branches of government, 
the executive branch, the Executive Office of the White House, 
that has only four percent veterans; to the judiciary branch 
and the legislative branch. And I think that's extremely 
important to do that. [Applause.]
    Let me just close with this, and I'm hopeful that in the 
105th Congress that the issue with regard to flag desecration 
is brought back up. In 1992, I recall the speeches by Bill 
Clinton that he made a promise to veterans that he would make 
sure that that bill passed, when in reality he campaigned 
against the bill and it was defeated in the Senate. That's a 
fact, ladies and gentlemen.
    And I believe, though, if we get behind this, not only you, 
but all VSOs, we can prevent the desecration of the American 
flag. Now, I know that there are some that like to stand up and 
talk about the Constitution. There aren't enough hay wagons in 
Indiana that they can stand on to convince me that it's 
permissible to desecrate the American flag. [Applause.]
    Let me just say in closing, I want to share with you on two 
things as I was reading. I was reading some--I love to read 
history. It's one of the legacies my father gave me. The other 
one I'm not so sure about. He made me a Cubs fan. [Laughter.] I 
guess you can tell I'm loyal. I think that, you know, if the 
Soviet Union can be no more, I think the Cubs can win the World 
Series. It'll happen.
    But as I was reading a passage--it was about World War II 
in the European Theater, and there was an individual that 
talked about an event that occurred. And even some of you in 
this room, as you marched across Europe, you left freedom in 
your footsteps. On the battlefield there was someone who was 
mortally wounded, and there was no one around to hear his last 
words. So he pulled from his pocket a pad and he wrote down 
some words, and when the bodies were policed from the 
battlefield, they found in his hand these words on the pad, and 
it said, ``When you go home, tell them that I gave this day for 
their tomorrow.'' Those are very powerful words.
    And later on in another chapter, I read where General 
Patton, when he went to his cemetery, he stood there and he 
looked at all the little white crosses and the Stars of David, 
and he said, ``I'm not here to pay honor to those who've died 
for their country. I'm here to pay homage and thank God that 
they lived.''
    I'm here to thank God that they lived and to thank you for 
your sacrifices. As I leave here and go back to Washington and 
you're going back to your homes, I want you to know I believe 
you live in luxury. You live in luxury because you get to go 
home and have conversations with people, and the words that you 
extend and exchange between each other have meaning. I get to 
go back to Washington, and I deal with people where words have 
no meaning. [Laughter and applause.]
    ``I say it, but I don't believe it.'' They utter words 
between themselves as though they're factually challenged. 
Words are meant to have meaning. Don't say it unless you mean 
it. Character matters. Character matters, ladies and gentlemen. 
[Applause.]
    But I want you to know I believe, I believe that it is 
honorable, I believe that it is noble, and it is pleasing to 
move our minds in charity, rest in Providence and move upon the 
polls of our minds in charity, rest in Providence and move upon 
the polls of truth. Coupled with our heritage and a strong 
character, we'll guide our country to higher ground. God bless 
you [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Congressman Buyer.
    At this time, I'm going to call the Employment Committee 
chairman, Vincent Reed.
    Mr. Vincent P. Reed. Thank you, Commander. Comrade 
Commander and delegates: I'm privileged to present the report 
of your Convention Committee on Employment. The National 
Convention Committee on Employment was called to order for its 
first business session on July 29th, 1996 by the committee 
advisors, Ronald Drach and Mike Godich.
    The first order of business was the election of a committee 
chairman. Vincent Reed was nominated as chairman. There being 
no further nominations, nominations were closed and Vinny was 
elected chairman. The next order of business was the nomination 
and election of a secretary. M. Rae White was nominated and 
elected as secretary of the committee.
    The committee then proceeded to review the resolutions 
submitted, and I'll now report to you the resolutions 
recommended for adoption. For the sake of saving time as we 
approach lunch, I will read the approved resolutions' number 
and title that gives its RESOLVED. The following have been 
approved by the committee:
    Resolution 23. Oppose the transfer of vets to the 
employment and training administration.
    255. To transfer Veterans Employment and Training Service 
to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
    101. Veteran's preference established in one-stop centers 
was adopted as amended by the committee.
    100. Veterans' preference in block grants adopted as 
amended by the committee.
    138. To provide for veterans' preference in all JTPA 
programs was adopted.
    Resolution 275 from the interim was to amend the rules of 
this convention as it applies to the business done by the 
committee was adopted.
    171. To amend the definition of disabled veterans for 
purposes of benefits administered under Chapter 42, Title 38, 
United States Code.
    Number 64. Affirmative action program for disabled veterans 
in government contracts.
    Number 192. To amend Section 4103(a)(1) of Title 38 to 
amend the DVOP preference to allow the appointment of a 
qualified disabled veteran with priority for Vietnam Era 
disabled vets.
    256. Veterans' preference for state assistance and 
training, employment and education.
    257. To amend the residency requirements for state 
directors and assistant state directors for the Veterans 
Employment and Training Service.
    Number 063. Affirmative action for the employment of 
disabled veterans.
    65. Allow disabled veterans retired from military on 
disability to count service time towards civil service 
retirement.
    258. To provide direct loans in set-asides at Small 
Business Administration for disabled vets.
    Resolution 21. Support veterans' preference in all public 
employment.
    143. Establish an outreach to the women veterans of the 
nation. That was adopted as amended by the committee.
    Number 22, Adequate funding and permanencies for veterans' 
employment and training programs, including NVTI, SBA, DVBOP, 
LVER and the homeless program.
    102. To maintain the assignment of responsibility for 
federal employment for veterans to the national level.
    141. Employer incentives for retraining disabled veterans.
    Number 99. Supporting House Resolution 1593, veterans' 
preference in all federal employment and training programs.
    Resolution 262. To amend Chapter 42 of Title 38 to include 
grants under affirmative action.
    Number 263. To provide an appeal process for veterans who 
believe their veterans' preference rights of affirmative action 
rights have been violated.
    264. To amend the definition of a disabled veteran for the 
purpose of benefits administered under Chapter 42, Title 38, 
United States Code.
    Number 142. To provide for vocational rehabilitation 
employment assistance.
    259. To expand the authority for unpaid work experience in 
a resume.
    Number 260. The VR&C staff to be provided state-of-the-art 
equipment to do their jobs.
    Number 261. The DVOP should be part of the VA vocational 
rehabilitations integrated case management system.
    And last, 265, to ensure veterans' preference in the United 
States Postal Service.
    Comrade Commander and comrades, this completes my reports. 
My thanks go to all the committee members who are in 
attendance, those who were alternates who helped out and gave 
their input, especially Ron and Mike, our two able advisors, 
and to the secretary that I had the pleasure of serving with 
today and on this committee previously, who's on stage with me 
today, Rae.
    And Comrade Commander, this completing the report, I move 
the adoption of these resolutions, and that my committee be 
discharged with the thanks of this convention.
    [The above-mentioned resolutions follow:]

                    RESOLUTION NO. 021--LEGISLATIVE

          supporting veterans' preference in public employment
    WHEREAS, the Disabled American Veterans has strongly supported 
federal, state and local veterans' preference laws; and
    WHEREAS, attempts are being made to weaken, dilute and circumvent 
existing veterans' preference laws; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports veterans' preference in federal, state and local 
employment.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 022--LEGISLATIVE

    adequate funding and permanency for veterans' employment and/or 
    training including nvti, sba, dvop, lver, and homeless programs
    WHEREAS, there are numerous veterans' employment and training 
programs that need adequate staffing and funding; and
    WHEREAS, those programs include the Veterans' Employment and 
Training Service of the Department of Labor, LVER and DVOP, JPTA, SBA, 
NVTI, Homeless and others; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks and supports adequate funding and permanency for all 
veterans' employment and training programs.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 023--LEGISLATIVE

 oppose the transfer of the veterans' employment and training service 
       (vets) to the employment and training administration (eta)
    WHEREAS, Vice President Gore has established a ``National 
Performance Review'' to make recommendations to improve government; and
    WHEREAS, it recently came to the attention of the National 
Employment Director that a recommendation is included in that review to 
transfer VETS to ETA; and
    WHEREAS, part of that proposal abolishes all the positions at the 
regional level, as well as the State and Assistant State Director 
positions; and
    WHEREAS, this proposal effectively eliminates VETS; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, oppose any efforts by this administration to transfer VETS to 
ETA.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 063--ADMINISTRATIVE

         affirmative action for employment of disabled veterans
    WHEREAS, Congress has enacted a law requiring an Affirmative Action 
program for disabled veterans in federal government employment; and
    WHEREAS, many disabled veterans now working for the federal 
government are not being afforded the opportunity for training, which 
would provide them with the necessary knowledge and/or experience 
needed for promotion to higher grades; and
    WHEREAS, there currently does not exist a procedure for enforcing 
the provisions of 38 U.S.C. 4214 and 5 CFR part 720 for disabled 
veterans; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seek enforcement provisions and protections for disabled 
veterans.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 064--ADMINISTRATIVE

    affirmative action program for disabled veterans in government 
                               contracts
    WHEREAS, currently the government requires contractors that are 
awarded contracts by the federal government to have an Affirmative 
Action program; and
    WHEREAS, more definitive contract guidance needs to be provided 
government contractors on the requirements of the affirmative action 
program for disabled veterans; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks changes to the regulations which would require all 
government contractors that receive an award over $25,000 to have an 
Affirmative Action program for disabled veterans that would mandate 
these employers to seek out disabled veterans to be employed, train 
these disabled veterans so that they can progress in employment, and to 
promote these disabled veterans on the same basis as that which is 
required for, or provided to, minority and/or women under other 
affirmative action programs of the federal government.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 065--ADMINISTRATIVE

  allow disabled veterans retired from the military on disability to 
           count service time toward civil service retirement
    WHEREAS, military personnel who are injured during time of war and 
who are then retired because of their service-connected disabilities 
deserve to receive the full benefit of their disability retirement; and
    WHEREAS, men and women who are retired for disability from the 
military and seek employment with the federal government cannot count 
their few years of service towards civil service retirement unless they 
waive their disability retired pay; and
    WHEREAS, retired reservists can draw retirement from civil service 
and the military service for the service rendered during the same 
period of years without reduction to their civil service time or any 
requirement to waive their military retired pay in order to receive 
full civil service retirement; and
    WHEREAS, ex-servicemen and women who only draw Department of 
Veterans Affairs (VA) compensation for their service-connected 
disability can receive both the VA compensation and civil service 
retirement pay without waiver of one for the other; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seek legislation to change the law which now prohibits 
disabled military retirees, disabled from any cause except willful 
misconduct, and who served during a period of declared national 
emergency, war or police action, to be entitled to count their service 
time towards civil service retirement provided that they pay a sum 
equal to 7 percent of their military pay into the civil service 
retirement trust fund or FERS (without interest) to cover the pay they 
received during those years, for the purpose of counting their time 
towards civil service retirement.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 099--LEGISLATIVE

 support of h.r. 1593 veterans preference in all federal employment & 
                           training programs
    WHEREAS, it is a National responsibility to provide veterans' 
preference in all employment and training services available in the 
United States; and
    WHEREAS, it is not practical nor feasible to devolve this 
responsibility to the States because this will weaken or eliminate the 
current preference for veterans mandated by Title 38 U.S.C.; and
    WHEREAS, H.R. 1593 as proposed by Representative Sonny Montgomery 
seeks to provide veterans' preference for all Federally funded 
employment and training programs; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, hereby supports passage of H.R. 1593.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 100--ADMINISTRATIVE

                  veterans' preference in block grants
    WHEREAS, over the past 50 plus years Congress has declared its 
intent that veterans and disabled veterans receive preference and 
priority in all employment and training services administered by the 
Department of Labor; and
    WHEREAS, the current direction and movement of the Congress is 
towards block grant process with the states deciding how the reduced 
funds for employment and training are to be expended; and
    WHEREAS, there are no provisions under the Block Grant process for 
continuing or addressing this covenant with our nation's veterans/
disabled veterans; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, strive to ensure that any and all legislation relating to 
employment and training initiatives that is considered, provides clear 
priority of services to veterans/disabled veterans; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that oversight and monitoring of these 
initiatives continue to be conducted by the appropriate agency within 
the Department of Labor.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 101--ADMINISTRATIVE

            veterans' preference in one-stop service centers
    WHEREAS, the Texas Legislature has enacted H.B. 1863 which 
consolidated the Texas Department of Commerce and the Texas Employment 
Commission into one agency, the Texas Work Force Commission; and
    WHEREAS, this legislation also created local boards which will be 
responsible for administering the employment and training funds that 
will assist local job seekers including veterans in accessing on the 
job training, classroom training and the operation of the one-stop 
centers; and
    WHEREAS, other states are taking similar actions; and
    WHEREAS, the employment and training needs of veterans/disabled 
veterans continue to expand due to the downsizing of the military; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seek legislation mandating that disabled and other veterans 
receive preference and priority in all employment and training services 
provided at the One-Stop Centers.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 102--ADMINISTRATIVE

retain nationwide programs of employment assistance for veterans as the 
                responsibility of the federal government
    WHEREAS, throughout the nearly two hundred and twenty-year history 
of the United States, the men and women of this nation have served in 
the Armed Forces in the interest of the collective body of states, 
united under a central federal government, ``to provide for the common 
defense,''; and
    WHEREAS, title 38 U.S.C. Sec. 4301, Congress expressed its purpose 
in enacting the Uniformed Service Employment and Reemployment rights 
Act of 1994 (USERRA), in part ``to encourage non-career service in the 
uniformed services by eliminating or minimizing the disadvantage to 
civilian careers and employment which can result from such service,''; 
and
    WHEREAS, it has been the finding of numerous surveys and studies 
that, for a variety of reasons, the vast majority of veterans/disabled 
veterans of the Armed Forces of the United States are disadvantaged in 
pursuing civilian employment and careers; and
    WHEREAS, in title 38 U.S.C. Sec. 4101, ``The Congress declares as 
its intent and purpose that there shall be an effective (1) job and job 
training counseling service program, (2) employment placement service 
program, and (3) job training placement service program for eligible 
veterans/disabled veterans and eligible persons . . .''; and
    WHEREAS, legislation has been introduced in both houses of Congress 
that would reduce the direction and control of such employment 
assistance programs by the federal government, relinquishing such 
control to the discretion of the Governors of the states; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, oppose any such elimination of federal direction and control 
over the employment assistance entitlement earned by America's 
veterans/disabled veterans through their honorable service.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION ON. 117--ADMINISTRATIVE

  supporting legislation to give disabled veterans hiring preference 
                  without regard to period of service
    WHEREAS, existing law provides for a priority system for veterans 
and other eligible persons in federally funded employment and training 
programs; and
    WHEREAS, title 38 U.S.C. requires that those programs give 
preference to Vietnam veterans over disabled veterans who are rated at 
less than 30% compensable disabled; and
    WHEREAS, titles 5 and 38 U.S.C. give clear definitions of veterans 
and the preference under which they and other eligible individuals will 
be employed within the federal sector; and
    WHEREAS, title 5 U.S.C. specifically requires that disabled 
veterans be given preference over other veterans for hiring within the 
federal government; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports the passage of legislation that will be consistent 
with the existing federal hiring statutes that do not specify any 
unique war period of service over another.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 138--LEGISLATIVE

        veterans' preference in the job training partnership act
    WHEREAS, there currently is no provision in the Job Training 
Partnership Act (JTPA), Public Law 97-300, to give preference in 
services to disabled veterans and veterans; and
    WHEREAS, disabled veterans and veterans are given priority under 
laws governing other employment and training programs (title 38 U.S.C., 
Chapters 41 and 42); and
    WHEREAS, a significant percentage of the work force eligible for 
services under JTPA are disabled veterans and veterans who have served 
their country, and now face significant barriers to employment; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, hereby goes on record urging Congress to amend the JTPA so as 
to provide for disabled veterans and veterans' preference in all 
programs operated under JTPA to include One-stop Career Centers.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 141--LEGISLATIVE

          employer incentives for retraining disabled veterans
    WHEREAS, a general transformation of the nation's economy due 
largely to defense reductions has caused vast numbers of middle income 
jobs in the industrial and manufacturing sectors to disappear, leaving 
many veterans and disabled veterans displaced and in need of 
retraining; and
    WHEREAS, against this background, federally sponsored training 
programs have failed to target veterans in such existing programs as 
the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA); NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, hereby goes on record strongly urging the Congress to create 
additional tax incentives and a training reimbursement program designed 
to generate the needed amount of employer provided training and 
employment opportunities leading to meaningful careers for veterans and 
disabled veterans.
                                 ______
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 142--ADMINISTRATIVE

            vocational rehabilitation employment assistance
    WHEREAS, disabled veterans completing VA vocational rehabilitation 
programs, particularly severely disabled veterans, are too infrequently 
placed in jobs leading to meaningful careers in their chosen 
occupations; and
    WHEREAS, VA's vocational rehabilitation personnel are often 
unfamiliar with the avenues through which veterans can receive 
employment assistance, such as the Disabled Veteran Outreach 
Specialists (DVOPs) who are required to begin job development for 
rehabilitated veterans within six months of their completion of 
training; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, does hereby (1) urge the VA and VETS/DOL to establish formal 
cross-training for VA vocational rehabilitation counselors and DOL 
funded veteran employment specialists in order to expedite appropriate 
and effective job placement for disabled veterans completing their 
rehabilitation, and (2) request additional funding for this cross 
training and to augment personnel levels in the VA vocational 
rehabilitation program, and (3) urge VETS/DOL to increase the number of 
DVOP staff outstationed at VA vocational rehabilitation facilities for 
the purpose of developing more meaningful jobs.
                                 ______
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 143--ADMINISTRATIVE

               outreach and employment of women veterans
    WHEREAS, many women who have served in the military are not aware 
of services available to them through state operated Job Service 
offices in the United States and may be less likely to obtain 
employment and training than their male counterparts; and
    WHEREAS, over the last decade there has been a definite increase in 
the number of women veterans in need of employment and training 
services; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, does hereby go on record requesting (a) Congress establish and 
fund special programs and outreach to women veterans in need of 
employment and assistance from the nation's basic labor exchange system 
and training assistance through programs operated under the Job 
Training Partnership Act (JTPA); (b) additional training in the needs 
of women veterans be provided to the veteran staff of the State 
Employment Security Agencies.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 171--LEGISLATIVE

 to amend the definition of disabled veterans for purposes of benefits 
             administered under chapter 42, title 38 u.s.c.
    WHEREAS, chapter 42, title 38 U.S.C., defines a disabled veteran as 
one who is rated 30 percent or more services-connected disabled or as 
one who was discharged or released from active duty because of a 
disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty; and
    WHEREAS, disabled veterans continue to bear a disproportionate 
unemployment rate and have not received adequate assistance under 
Chapter 42, title 38 U.S.C.; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to amend section 4211 of title 38 U.S.C., 
to redefine the term ``disabled veteran'' as ``one who has a 
compensable service-connected disability under laws administered by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs or whose discharge or release from 
active duty was for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of 
duty.''
                                 ______
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 192--ADMINISTRATIVE

 amend section 4103(a)(1) of dvops appointment preference to allow the 
   appointment of qualified disabled veterans with priority given to 
             qualified disabled veterans of the vietnam era
    WHEREAS, it is the intent of Congress that the State Employment 
Services Agencies (SESA) provide effective employment and training 
services to veterans with priority given in accordance with title 38 
U.S.C. Sec. 4102; and
    WHEREAS, it is the SEAS's responsibility to provide priority 
services to veterans and that all Local Employment Service Office staff 
provide priority services to veterans; and
    WHEREAS, the requirements for the appointment of Disabled Veterans' 
Outreach Program Specialists (DVOPS) is now based upon the preference 
to disabled veterans of the Vietnam era; and
    WHEREAS, combat veterans and disabled veterans have been 
historically shown to have special employment and training needs; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seek legislation to require that preference be given to 
disabled veterans with priority given to disabled Vietnam era veterans 
in appointments to DVOP positions.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 255--LEGISLATIVE

     transfer the veterans' employment and training service to the 
                     department of veterans affairs
    WHEREAS, veterans' educational benefits are administered by VA, not 
the Department of Education; and
    WHEREAS, veterans' health services are administered by VA, not the 
Department of Health and Human Services; and
    WHEREAS, veterans' housing programs are administered by VA, not the 
Department of Housing and Urban Development; and
    WHEREAS, the Department of Labor (DOL) is the only non-VA federal 
agency administering a veterans' program; and
    WHEREAS, the Department of Veterans Affairs is now a Cabinet level 
department, and the initial reason for the establishment of a 
Department of Veterans Affairs was to avoid duplication, fragmentation 
or delay in the various services provided to our nation's veterans; and
    WHEREAS, it is our proposal that the entire Veterans' Employment 
and Training Service staff and funding be transferred to VA, thereby 
avoiding a reduction of personnel, salaries, benefits or ability to 
carry out the mandates of chapters 41, 42, and 43, title 38 U.S.C., and 
our proposal would continue the DVOP and LVER programs as they 
currently exist; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation that would transfer the Veterans' 
Employment and Training Service from the Department of Labor to the 
Department of Veterans Affairs.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 256--LEGISLATIVE

    veterans' preference for state and assistant state directors of 
                   veterans' employment and training
    WHEREAS, current law requires that the Department of Labor's State 
and Assistant State Directors of Veterans' Employment and Training be 
veterans; and
    WHEREAS, there has been some discussion to eliminate the veterans' 
preference provision; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes any change to the veterans' preference provisions 
accorded state and assistant state directors.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 257--LEGISLATIVE

 to amend the residency requirements for state directors and assistant 
    state directors of the veterans' employment and training service
    WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States has enacted legislation 
providing for a Veterans' Employment and Training Service within the 
Department of Labor; and
    WHEREAS, the Act provides that the State Director and the Assistant 
State Director of the Veterans' Employment and Training Service shall 
be a veteran, and at the time of appointment shall be a bona fide 
resident of that state for at least two years; and
    WHEREAS, this provision prohibits promotional opportunities for 
Assistant State Directors and others to other states and restricts them 
to their own states; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, goes on record in support of a waiver to substitute two years' 
experience as a State Director, an Assistant State Director or DVOP or 
LVER in lieu of the current residency requirements, thereby allowing 
them the opportunity to compete for State Director positions as they 
become vacant.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 258--LEGISLATIVE

     provide direct loans and ``set asides'' for disabled veterans
    WHEREAS, many disabled veterans would like to start their own 
business but cannot obtain the needed loan; and
    WHEREAS, many disabled veteran-owned businesses would like to do 
business with the federal government; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation that would authorize direct loans be 
provided by the federal government to qualified disabled veterans; and
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the federal government provide ``Set 
Asides'' for disabled veteran owned businesses that are the same as, 
but separate and apart from, the Small Business Administration 
Disadvantaged Business 8A Set Aside Program.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 259--LEGISLATIVE

              expand authority for unpaid work experience
    WHEREAS, certain disabled veterans pursuing a program of training 
under vocational rehabilitation may, as part of that program, 
participate in an unpaid work experience situation with either the 
federal, state, or local governments; and
    WHEREAS, similar authority does not exist for unpaid work 
experience with private sector employers; and
    WHEREAS, private sector employers may provide meaningful training 
in such a program; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks legislative relief that would allow these disabled 
veterans to participate in unpaid work experience with private and not-
for-profit sector employers.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 260--LEGISLATIVE

           vr&c staff be provided state-of-the-art equipment
    WHEREAS, the current Director of the VA's Vocational Rehabilitation 
and Counseling Service has no direct line authority over the 
approximately 700 employees located throughout the Regional Office 
structure; and
    WHEREAS, these individuals are responsible to and report to the 
Regional Office Director; and
    WHEREAS, these individuals rely on the goodwill of the Regional 
Office Director to provide them with needed support including current 
technological support to include computers, faxes, and even telephones, 
which are necessary to expedite and streamline the processes and will 
result in earlier enrollments into a program; and
    WHEREAS, it has been reported by the recently established ``Design 
Team'' set up to review how vocational rehabilitation does business, 
some VR&C offices do not have this type of equipment and in at least 
one instance, they do not even have phones; and
    WHEREAS, this type of equipment is essential to assist disabled 
veterans attain their employment goal; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks change that would assure the Regional Office Directors 
are held accountable and all VR&C staff at the Regional Office level be 
provided state-of-the-art equipment in order for them to efficiently 
perform the duties of providing vocational rehabilitation and 
employment services to disabled veterans.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 261--LEGISLATIVE

 disabled veterans' outreach program specialist (dvops) should be part 
            of va vocational rehabilitation case management
    WHEREAS, Congress has criticized the VA's Office of Vocational 
Rehabilitation for not working closely enough with DVOPs; and
    WHEREAS, further criticism was leveled at that office because of 
VA's inability to determine how many veterans were placed in suitable 
employment opportunities; and
    WHEREAS, they were also criticized for not working closely enough 
with the DVOP staff; and
    WHEREAS, the VA is undergoing a major ``redesign'' of how 
Vocational Rehabilitation does business; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, request that a requirement be made that the DVOPs be made part 
of case management at the earliest onset of rehabilitation process.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 262--LEGISLATIVE

 amend chapter 42, title 38 u.s.c. to include grants under affirmative 
                                 action
    WHEREAS, section 4212, chapter 42, title 38 U.S.C. currently 
requires federal contractors to take affirmative action on behalf of 
disabled veterans; and
    WHEREAS, current law does not provide for recipients of federal 
financial assistance, to include grants to states, to take affirmative 
action on behalf of veterans; and
    WHEREAS, most federal agencies provide grants to universities, 
colleges, transportation systems and others who are not required to 
take affirmative action; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, requests that section 4212 of title 38, U.S.C., be amended to 
include ``recipients of federal financial assistance'' be covered for 
affirmative action purposes.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 263--LEGISLATIVE

  provide an appeal process for veterans who believe their veterans' 
       preference or affirmative action rights have been violated
    WHEREAS, disabled veterans and other veterans who believe their 
rights as a preference eligible or rights under affirmative action 
provisions have been violated currently have no recourse other than a 
general inquiry; and
    WHEREAS, many disabled veterans believe that many agencies 
intentionally and unintentionally circumvent veterans' preference or 
don't comply with affirmative action; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation that would provide a meaningful appeal/
redress process for veterans and disabled veterans who believe their 
rights have been violated under veterans' preference or affirmative 
action.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 264--LEGISLATIVE

 to amend the definition of disabled veteran for purposes of benefits 
             administered under chapter 42, title 38 u.s.c.
    WHEREAS, chapter 42, title 38 U.S.C., defines a disabled veteran as 
one who is rated 30 percent or more service-connected disabled or as 
one who was discharged or released from active duty because of a 
disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty; and
    WHEREAS, disabled veterans continue to bear a disproportionate 
unemployment rate and have not received adequate assistance under 
Chapter 42, title 38 U.S.C.; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to amend section 4211 of title 38 U.S.C., 
to redefine the term ``disabled veteran'' as one who has a compensable 
service-connected disability under laws administered by the Department 
of Veterans Affairs or whose discharge or release from active duty was 
for a disability incurred or aggravated in the line of duty.''
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 265--LEGISLATIVE

            veterans' preference in the u.s. postal service
    WHEREAS, Congress is currently considering legislation to provide 
certain protections and enhancements to veterans' preference in federal 
civil service; and
    WHEREAS, this legislation would include all federal agencies 
including the Postal Service; and
    WHEREAS, the Postmaster General of the United States has contacted 
the Postal Board of Governors indicating his concern that such changes 
to veterans' preference would be ``onerous'' on the Postal Service; and
    WHEREAS, the Postal Service should be subject to the veterans' 
preference provisions; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation that would provide additional protections 
and other enhancements to veterans' preference and that such 
legislation should include the Postal Service and the Postmaster 
General be informed of our strong opposition to his language directed 
to the Postal Board of Governors.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 275--LEGISLATIVE

    to amend paragraph (f) of rule 21 of the rules of the convention
    WHEREAS, vocational rehabilitation programs and job placement of 
veterans are closely interrelated; and
    WHEREAS, under rule 21(f) of the DAV's National Rules of the 
Convention, the Committee on Employment does not have jurisdiction over 
vocational rehabilitation issues pertaining to the program under 
Chapter 31 of title 38, United States Code; and
    WHEREAS, it would be more practical to have the Committee on 
Employment address these vocational rehabilitation issues in National 
Convention; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the National Interim Employment 
Committee, meeting on July 28, 1996, recommend to the 1996 National 
Convention that Rule 21 (f) be amended to give the Convention Committee 
on Employment jurisdiction over vocational rehabilitation under Chapter 
31 by striking from the last sentence in paragraph (f) the words 
``education'' and `'except those provided by Title 38, U.S. Code'' and 
by striking the commas preceding these words.
                                 ------
                                 
    Commander McMasters. You've heard the motion. Is there 
support? Mike 3.
    NEC 1st District Alternate Frank J. Drogo. Frank Drogo, 
alternate National Executive Committeeman, makes a motion to 
accept the report.
    Commander McMasters. The motion has been made. You support 
the motion? Mike 3, the motion has already been made. Do you 
support the motion?
    NEC Drogo. Oh! I second it.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. The motion has been made 
and supported. Ready for the question? Ready for the question? 
All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. That's carried. 
[Applause.].
    Ladies and gentlemen, please rise, and I will ask Chaplain 
Wilkie to lead us in prayer.
    Chaplain Wilkie. Let us pray. We are grateful indeed this 
morning for the activities of the day. We're indeed grateful 
that words to have meaning, especially when we come to You and 
find out Your direction. We're especially grateful that 
character is meaningful, and that there is character in this 
organization. We're grateful for those who have led us today.
    Pray that You will give us an opportunity for refreshment. 
Bring us back ready to take care of business in our next 
session. Amen.
    Commander McMasters. The convention stands in recess until 
1:30.
    [Whereupon, the meeting recessed at 11:55 o'clock a.m., 
July 29, 1996.]

                        SECOND BUSINESS SESSION

    The Second Business Session of the 75th National Convention 
of the Disabled American Veterans convened in the Grand 
Ballroom of the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, New Orleans, 
Louisiana, Monday afternoon, July 29, 1996, and was called to 
order at 1:30 p.m. by Commander Thomas A. McMaster III.
    Commander Thomas A. McMasters III. The convention will 
please come to order. Please join me in the salute to the flag.
    [Salute to the flag.]
    Commander McMasters. Chaplain, will you please lead us in 
prayer.
    Chaplain Wilkie. Let us pray. Again, Father, we than You 
for allowing us the time of refreshment. We thank You also for 
the opportunity that You have afforded us in this great hour to 
consider again the business affairs of this convention. Enable 
us especially to be aware of those who employ our veterans as 
we recognize them. Help us to be aware, O God, of the 
opportunities we have in so many ways to be of service.
    Direct the decisions we make. Amen.
    Commander McMasters. Please be seated.
    Earlier this morning, we adopted the Rules of the 
Convention probably improperly. What we have done is we've 
approved the amendment, and at this time, I'm going to call on 
Mr. Jim Tanner on Mike 3 to actually restate his motion, and 
we're going to adopt the Rules as amended. And I think that's 
what we're going to do at this time. Mr. Tanner?
    Okay. We will continue. I'll introduce Mr. Gorman for his 
remarks. Dave has been with the DAV for 25 years, both in the 
National Service and Legislative Departments. We are fortunate 
indeed to have someone with Dave's discretion, intelligence and 
practical know-how at the helm of our team in Washington.
    Dave's professional DAV career began in 1971 when he became 
a national service officer shortly after his discharge from the 
U.S. Army. He was seriously wounded by a Viet Cong land mine 
explosion while on patrol in the central area of South Vietnam. 
His wounds required amputation of both legs.
    After three years as an NSO in Boston and Providence, Dave 
was assigned to the DAV National Appeals staff in Washington, 
D.C. in 1975, becoming supervisor of the staff in 1981.
    Later, he assumed management duties in the DAV's National 
Service Program at National Service and Legislative 
Headquarters. He was promoted to assistant national legislative 
director for medical affairs in 1983 and to deputy national 
legislative director in 1994.
    In 1995, Dave was named executive director of our 
Washington Headquarters, taking over day-to-day management of 
our service, legislative, volunteer and employment operations. 
And this will be Dave's first annual report in that capacity to 
the National Convention.
    Mr. Gorman. [Applause.]
    Executive Director David W. Gorman. Thank you very much. 
National Commander McMasters, distinguished guests, and, of 
course, delegates to this 75th National Convention: As the 
executive director of the DAV's Washington Headquarters, it is 
truly my honor and privilege to be able to present to you this 
annual report to the 75th National Convention of the Disabled 
American Veterans.
    First, I want to thank you, Tom, for his inspiring 
leadership and his steadfast commitment to the DAV and our 
mission of service and hope to disabled veterans and their 
families.
    I also want to express my deep respect and sincere 
gratitude to National Adjutant Art Wilson. I can't say enough 
about how vital his resolute guidance, wise counsel and rock-
solid support have been for me personally and for the rest of 
us in our efforts on a daily basis to serve you and your 
families.
    None of what we have been able to accomplish in Washington 
would be possible without the outstanding work accomplished by 
Rick Patterson and his great staff in Cold Spring, Kentucky. So 
thanks, Rick, for that.
    And to Auxiliary National Commander Barb Hicks and National 
Adjutant Maria Tedrow, my sincere thanks. Without the Auxiliary 
and all the effort they put forth, we would not be nearly as 
successful as we are.
    As we gather here in New Orleans to celebrate our 75th 
National Convention and retrace the DAV's magnificent history, 
I find myself standing in awe of how one individual's vision, 
together with a small but totally dedicated and committed group 
of World War I veterans untied in a common bond, gave birth to 
the organization we all love so much today.
    Yet, in reflecting on that truly extraordinary achievement, 
I find myself looking also toward the future as well. It is a 
future that holds tremendous promise and presents us with a 
great many challenges in the bargain. The various programs and 
services that we provide to you on a day-to-day basis are not 
only geared toward meeting the immediate and the sometimes 
unique needs of America's veterans and their families, but they 
are being constantly evaluated, upgraded and improved so we can 
continue to meet our future challenges as well.
    Let me just highlight a few of those for you now, and you 
can get much more detailed information from the various annual 
reports from the department directors that are available in the 
DAV Public Relations Office. As you all know, our National 
Service Program under the above and steady direction of Ken 
Wolfe, is not only the largest of the organization's 
initiatives, but is also the backbone of the DAV and is what 
our reputation of service and excellence is built on.
    For sure, your service program and the national service 
officers who make it the best it can be, will play a 
significant role in helping us live up to our potential and 
meet the challenges we face now and for many years to come. In 
several important ways, what Ken and his staff have 
accomplished will have a profound impact on our future.
    Not only is our national service officer corps growing, but 
the quality of our younger NSOs keeps improving as well. 
National Adjutant Wilson's commitment to service and to 
excellence was the single driving force that gave birth to the 
DAV National Service officer Academy that's located in Denver, 
Colorado. The Academy provides the foundation for the training 
of our NSOs so the DAV can continue to provide today's veterans 
as well as tomorrow's unequalled quality representation.
    Since that first group of 23 NSO trainees entered the 
Academy in July of 1994, three classes totalling 77 NSO 
trainees in all have graduated and have been assigned to work 
in our DAV national service offices across the country under 
the direct supervision and the professional guidance of 
seasoned NSOs. Class 4, consisting of 21 trainees, is currently 
undergoing training and will graduate on August 23rd, just a 
little less than a month away.
    In addition to ensuring that your NSOs and other staff get 
the quality training they need, it's essential that DAV 
management be equipped to provide top-notch leadership as well. 
Earlier this year, the entire DAV management team, comprised of 
supervisory and time ever to participate in a very 
comprehensive week-long program aimed at honing their 
leadership and management skills. And I want to say to you it 
was a tremendous success.
    While we're talking about the National Service Program, I'd 
like to take just a minute to show you two DAV public service 
announcements that the National Communications Department has 
produced in support of our NSOs. So please, take a look for a 
moment at the TV screens on either side of the stage.
    [Video presentation.]
    Executive Director Gorman. They were great, weren't they? 
And from all indications, both of those PSAs got tremendous 
play across the country. And for that, of course, I'd like to 
thank our National Communications Director, Tom Keller, and his 
staff for those spots and for all the work they do in 
continuing support of all of our programs.
    In particular, I'd like to offer a special word of thanks 
and appreciation to Associate National Director of 
Communications Dave Autry. Dave's presence and day-to-day 
involvement in the goings-on in Washington make him a very 
special and valuable asset to our staff.
    Another valued member of our very fine staff in the 
Washington Headquarters is Administrative Assistant Daryl 
Richardson. I don't know how she managed to do it on a day-to-
day basis, but somehow she manages to keep things running 
smoothly amid all the chaos and hubbub. So my heartfelt thanks 
goes out to Daryl.
    I'd be remiss, of course, if I didn't recognize and extend 
a very special thank you to the National Service Foundation and 
the Charitable Service Trust, whose commitment and 
contributions to our National Service Program has made the job 
of providing service to veterans that much easier.
    Later on during the convention, you'll be hearing a lot 
more about our legislative battles, but I want to say a word 
now about Rick Schultz and your DAV legislative team. We all 
owe these fine gentlemen a world of thanks for warding off the 
many vicious attacks on our benefits being posed in Washington. 
With continuing efforts under way to cut funding for veterans' 
programs government shutdowns, schemes to tax and means test 
our service-connected disability compensation, and people 
always looking for ways to do away with the VA health care 
system, it's been a really rough year.
    And although the past year hasn't produced much in terms of 
new meaningful legislation, it has been tremendously successful 
in terms of our grass-roots efforts. Our benefits protection 
teams and DAV and Auxiliary members, as well as their families, 
have done a magnificent job of convincing their elected 
officials to back off from the many horrible and potentially 
devastating legislative proposals. Only swift action by all of 
you could have managed to kill morally wrong and mean-spirited 
schemes like termination disability compensation to certain 
mentally incompetent veterans.
    If what we keep hearing from groups like the Concord 
Coalition is any indication at all, we're going to have our 
work cut out for us, no matter who's in the White House or 
which party is in control of Congress next year. Let's face it: 
The farther we get away from war, the less our elected 
officials and policy makers remember the sacrifices made by 
veterans the ongoing obligation a grateful nation has toward 
us.
    And while you're at it, take a look at who makes up 
Congress, and you'll discover there are fewer and fewer 
veterans among our lawmakers today.
    There are some folks out there who think veteran's program 
have ducked the budget ax for far too long. They want to turn 
our disability compensation system into some kind of an 
insurance annuity program run by the private sector, and they 
want to shut the doors of the VA health care system and our VA 
hospitals.
    We need to keep continually reminding Congress of the 
importance of veterans' programs, and with your help we'll 
continue to do just that.
    Your Employment Department, headed by Ron Drach, is making 
sure your voice is heard on a number of issues, such as 
homeless veterans, many of whom have service-connected 
disabilities that have contributed to their plight. Naturally, 
much of our efforts are focused on defending veterans' 
employment rights and maintaining job training and employment 
assistance programs, such as those administered by the 
Department of Labor, as well as the VA Vocational 
Rehabilitation Program and the Transition Assistance Program 
and Disabled Transition Assistance Program for separating 
military personnel.
    Handling employment-related legislative and oversight 
issues, with particular emphasis on service-connected disabled 
veterans involves monitoring several agencies and pending 
legislation, as well as working with the executive branch and 
Congress on program development and oversight.
    In addition to developing legislative testimony before 
congressional committees on issues relating to employment 
rights, job training programs, vocational rehabilitation, small 
business initiatives and programs for homeless veterans. Ron 
works closely with your national legislative staff as they 
appear before Congress on issues affecting veterans; benefits 
and programs.
    DAV volunteer programs just keep on growing and getting 
better under Bruce Nitsche's guiding hand. Our VA Voluntary 
Service Program, Hospital Service Coordinator Program, and the 
DAV Transportation Network continue to be the envy of many 
others across the country. During the past year alone, DAV 
volunteer drivers logged nearly 18 million miles, taking nearly 
half a million veterans to and from VA medical facilities for 
much-needed health care. That's a tremendous accomplishment, 
and each and every one of you who are involved in that program 
should be very proud, and I know I am. [Applause.]
    And as you know from the video you saw this morning and 
Adjutant Wilson's report, our Transportation Network has just 
put 141 brand-new Ford vans on the road to continue service to 
veterans. That makes 556 that DAV has donated to VA medical 
centers nationwide since 1987, and Ford has generously donated 
an additional 11 vans that will hit the road in August.
    The extremely important VAVS Program which involves so many 
of you brings hope an light into the lives of hospitalized 
veterans and their families on a daily basis. In the past year 
alone, DAV and Auxiliary volunteers donated an incredible two 
and a quarter million hours of VAVS service. That's the yearly 
equivalent, ladies and gentlemen, of 1100 full-time VA 
employees with an estimated value of $28 million in hourly 
wages alone. [Applause.]
    So we should all again take great pride in the fact that if 
it were not for the DAV and our Auxiliary members, the 
hospitalized veterans across this great country wouldn't be 
nearly as well off while they're hospitalized as they are.
    And our National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic 
just simply seems to be getting bigger and better every year as 
it continues to change the lives of severely disabled veterans. 
This event really serves as an opportunity at rehabilitation in 
the nontraditional sense of medical care. After all, if 
severely disabled veterans can face and meet the challenge head 
on of coming down the snow-covered slopes of a mountain, 
surely, in their minds, they can face the challenges of 
addressing their disabilities in a positive way.
    This year has been a tough one, ladies and gentlemen, and 
no one expects 1997 to be any easier. But you can all rest a 
little easy in knowing that DAV advocacy is top notch, and it's 
recognized as such by members of Congress, the VA and other 
influential policy makers in Washington. When the DAV speaks, 
they listen. They listen because your Washington staff has 
earned the reputation, each and every one of them, as highly 
trained professionals who are committed to excellence when it 
comes to advocacy for their fellow disabled veterans. And that 
excellence and that commitment to cause extends all the way 
across our national service officer programs and to each and 
every national service officer who is out there working on a 
daily basis trying to get the benefits each of you and our 
membership deserves.
    And I might add that it doesn't hurt one lick for those in 
Washington to know that each of your program directors carry 
just a little bit more credibility due to the fact that each 
and every one of them are all service-connected combat-disabled 
veterans.
    To be sure, the folks at National Service and Legislative 
Headquarters in Washington have done an outstanding job of 
providing first-rate programs and services to you and your 
families, and that's what we're there for. But you know what? 
We in Washington couldn't do a blessed thing without you, our 
membership, and for that, we thank you.
    In conclusion, and on behalf of the entire Washington 
headquarters staff, I just want to again say thank you for 
making it all possible. Thank you. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, David. I can't think of a 
nicer guy I'd rather go to Bosnia with than David Gorman.
    At this time, the Chair will entertain a motion to adopt 
Mr. Gorman's report. Mike 1.
    NEC 4th District Albert R. Fanslau. NEC District 4 moves 
the adoption of the report.
    Commander McMasters. We have the motion. Is there support? 
Mike 3.
    Mr. Alan W. Bowers. Alan Bowers, commander, Massachusetts, 
seconds the motion.
    Commander McMasters. We have a motion and support to accept 
Mr. Gorman's report. All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. 
That's carried.
    [The following written annual report was submitted by Mr. 
Kenneth D. Wolfe, National Service Director:]

    As National Service Director, it is my privilege to report on the 
achievements of the National Service Department to the 75th national 
Convention of the Disabled American Veterans.
    During the past 75 years since DAV's inception, our forefounders 
comprised of World War I veterans and those DAV leaders who have 
followed in their footsteps have witnessed an evolution of change in 
the world of veterans' benefits. The DAV's mission, however, remains 
constant, steadfast, and unwavering: caring for those who have borne 
the burden of war. Since our beginning, one constant has been the need 
for the DAV. Recent reminders of this need include Panama, Grenada, the 
Persian Gulf War, Somalia, the peace keeping mission in Bosnia, and the 
senseless, tragic bombing of the U.S. military barracks in Dhahran, 
Saudi Arabia. The men and women serving our country can be assured the 
DAV will be ready and able to assist them should the need arise.
    The National Service Department continues to carefully monitor 
activity within the Department of Veterans Affairs and other government 
agencies.
    Proposals to change the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities have 
been ongoing. Currently, the VA is going through the process to update 
and revise the schedule making sure it reflects current medical 
knowledge and other factors. We review proposed rule changes as they 
appear in the Federal Register very closely to protect the integrity of 
this very sensitive and complex document. In those instances where we 
disagree with proposed rule changes because they would be harmful to 
veterans, we respond oftentimes with expert medical opinions to support 
our position. In turn protecting the rating decisions of veterans in 
receipt of service-connected disability compensation.
    We have serious concerns regarding the General Accounting Office's 
(GAO) recent intrusion into this time tested and proven system of 
compensating the nation's wartime disabled veterans. We fear GAO's 
interest is strictly related to cost savings without regard for 
disabled veterans. We took the initiative to meet with officials from 
GAO to express our concerns and we expect follow-up meetings.
    This past year the Department of Veterans Affairs planned to 
radically restructure its benefits delivery system. I can tell you, DAV 
adopted a position early in their development stages putting the VA on 
notice that we would oppose any changes that would reduce services to 
veterans or hinder and restrict their access to the system. We insisted 
that any changes must produce meaningful improvement in the quality and 
timeliness of claims adjudication. The VA's plan called for reducing 
the number of claims processing centers by more than half of the 
existing regional offices. The VA has informed us this initiative has 
been delayed until further notice.
                        dav nso training academy
    The DAV's NSO Training Academy located in Denver, Colorado, grew 
out of a need to revitalize the DAV's National Service Officer corps. 
On July 11, 1994, the first class of 23 NSO Trainees began their 
academic studies. University of Colorado at Denver professors provide 
college credit courses in medical terminology, anatomy, and physiology, 
allowing our NSOs to command a sound working medical knowledge when 
assisting veterans in developing their disability claims. Additionally, 
they are taught theories of persuasion and argumentation followed by a 
course in public speaking preparing them to verbally present the merits 
of a veteran's claim before the Department of Veterans Affairs, Social 
Security Administration, and various military boards and panels. DAV 
National Service Officers must also be proficient in preparing written 
briefs in support of their claimants. To assist them in that process 
they are provided a course in legal reasoning and brief preparation.
    In addition to the instruction provided by the University of 
Colorado, seasoned DAV National Service Officers provide detailed 
instruction, teaching what benefits are available, who is eligible and 
how NSO's assist veterans and their dependents in applying. Trainees 
also receive instruction on the proper application of pertinent VA laws 
and regulations to include the VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities. The 
in-depth instruction provided at DAV's Training Academy prepares DAV 
trainees to effectively serve as veterans' advocates. To date three 
classes have graduated from the Academy totaling 77 National Service 
Officer Trainees. Class IV consisting of 21 NSO Trainees is currently 
in progress and will graduate on August 23, 1996. For three quarters of 
a century now, the DAV has been out there providing a service to 
veterans and their families, that remains unmatched anywhere in this 
country. And with this new wave of DAV NSOs entering the fray, our 
organization is laying the groundwork to continue that fine tradition 
of service on into the future. Far and away, we're giving our newest 
employees the best training available in the field of veterans' 
affairs.
    In this ever-changing world of high technology the way our National 
Service Officers conduct training has also changed. Thanks to a 
donation by the Commanders and Adjutants Association, our instructors 
are using state-of-the-art computer-based imaging training programs. 
This innovative training allows DAV's instructors to maximize the 
amount of information they teach during each training module. I would 
like to take this opportunity to thank President Thomas J. Campbell and 
the Commanders and Adjutants Association for their support during the 
past year.
    I am pleased to be able to inform you that we are evaluating the 
need for an additional class which would begin in 1997 if necessary.
             dav structured and continuing training program
    Our training does not end when an NSO is rehabilitated. Your DAV 
leadership continues to recognize the importance and value of an 
ongoing program to ensure our NSOs are the best qualified to represent 
all veterans and their dependents. The laws, regulations, and 
procedures of the Department of Veterans Affairs are always changing, 
and we must be prepared. You deserve the best, and we will continue to 
provide the best because of our emphasis on continuing education for 
all NSOs.
    The VA Schedule for Rating Disabilities was first targeted for 
training and all NSOs have, since the introduction of that program, 
completed the course of training in the proper evaluation of service-
connected disabilities. Following this convention, we will introduce to 
all rehabilitated NSOs a new additional two-year program, emphasizing 
the VA's claims adjudication process. This program will stress VA 
adjudication procedures and the importance of proper application of 
U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals precedent decisions in claims work. As 
in the past, each NSO will be required to participate fully, undergoing 
rigorous tests to determine his or her level of proficiency. The 
implementation of this new program will allow NSOs to stay abreast of 
changes in VA regulations and keep them up to date on other pertinent 
matters, especially the effect of U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals 
decisions in the day-to-day adjudication of claims.
    Although the DAV's purpose hasn't changed since DAV was founded, 
the job of an NSO has drastically changed as a result of medical 
advancements, the advent of the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals, and the 
implementation of high technology computer systems in use today. The 
NSOs' resolve hasn't changed either; these men and women are committed 
to doing everything possible to obtain the rightful benefits this 
nation's veterans and their dependents are entitled to. This 
determination is personified by the ongoing commitment of NSOs to excel 
in their work, and objective they understand requires continual 
updating of their skills through training.
                   management and leadership training
    DAV employees are vital in fulfilling our mission. They deserve the 
finest management and leadership we can provide. National Adjutant 
Arthur H. Wilson recognized this training would be vital to our 
continued success. The University of Colorado International Training 
Academy custom tailored the Management and Leadership Training Program 
to fit DAV's needs. It was decided that all DAV management personnel, 
both at National Headquarters and National Service and Legislative 
Headquarters, and DAV's National Service Office Supervisors and 
Assistants would benefit from this important training. For the first 
time in the history of DAV, the entire management team was brought 
together as part of an integrated program to enhance our ability to do 
what we do best--provide top quality service to disabled veterans and 
their families.
    We were taught the latest management and leadership skills starting 
with managing personnel and how to motivate employees and get the job 
done. We learned how to deal with change and conflict management. There 
were classes in stress management, time management, and problem 
solving. All of these courses were designed to improve how we deliver 
DAV services.
    Since last year's National Convention, diversity and sensitivity 
training has been provided to all NSOs and support staff. We believe 
that training, coupled with the management and leadership training, 
will provide for a more professional and worker friendly office 
environment which in turn will have a positive effect on productivity 
and the quality of services provided by the Disabled American Veterans.
                              retirements
    During this 75th historical year several National Service Officers 
have chosen to enter into retirement. I would like to recognize and 
thank them for their unselfish dedication and service to the Disabled 
American Veterans and those veterans and families we serve. Bruce W. 
Burgess, Supervisor, San Antonio, Texas; Richard A. Fret, Supervisor, 
San Juan, Puerto Rico; Robert R. Jordan, Supervisor, West Los Angeles, 
California; Samuel L. King, Supervisor, Muskogee, Oklahoma; Richard L. 
Richards, Supervisor, Houston, Texas; Donald L. Savage, Supervisor, 
Oakland, California; Craig A. Bridges, Assistant Supervisor, Oakland, 
California; Charles Ward, Assistant Supervisor, Louisville, Kentucky; 
Gerald S. Klein, St. Petersburg, Florida; James M. Waters, Newark, New 
Jersey; Raymond E. Lawhorn, Chicago, Illinois; Kenneth Morris, Sr., St. 
Petersburg, Florida; Edward R. Heath, Staff Counsel, St. Petersburg, 
Florida; and Edward J. Kowalczyk, Chief of Claims, DAV Court of 
Veterans Appeals Office. During their many years of advocacy, thousands 
of veterans and their families have reaped the benefit of their 
knowledge and service. Speaking on behalf of all of those claimants and 
the Disabled American Veterans, we wish them the very best in their 
retirement years.
                                 deaths
    On a sadder note, National Service Officer Nathaniel Hart, assigned 
to our Oakland, California, National Service Office, passed away on 
August 7, 1995, ending 24 years of dedicated service to the DAV. NSO 
Hart is survived by his wife, Edna, and sons, Kevin and Nathaniel, Jr.
    National Service Officer Gerald Gregory, assigned to our Boston, 
Massachusetts, National Service Office, was stricken with sudden 
illness and taken from our ranks on May 28, 1996. NSO Gregory served 
the DAV 11 years and is survived by his wife, Donna, and sons, Gerald, 
Jr., Christopher, and Michael.
                       court of veterans appeals
    The DAV Court of Veterans Appeals Office (COVA) has undergone 
significant changes during this past year. Chief of Claims Edward J. 
Kowalczyk retired from the DAV after 28 years of service. Following his 
departure, Stephen L. Purcell was transferred form his assignment at 
the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program to the DAV COVA Office, where 
he joined Judicial Appeals Representatives James W. Stewart and Ronald 
L. Smith. On June 3, 1996, National Service Officer Lennox E. Gilmer 
was reassigned to the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program. This 
program, where appeals are screened for referral to private attorneys 
for representation before the Court, is beneficial to veterans and 
their families, affording them legal representation at no cost. DAV is 
pleased to support this worthwhile program. Also, in December of 1995, 
the DAV COVA Office was relocated from Bowie, Maryland, to National 
Service and Legislative Headquarters in Washington, D.C. While they are 
not a part of the National Service and Legislative Headquarters staff, 
their physical relocation resulted in a cost savings and placed our 
COVA office in closer proximity to the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals.
    The number of appeals to the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals began 
to increase dramatically in the spring of 1996. DAV's Court of Veterans 
Appeals Office has played a major role in generating the nearly 100 
percent increase in appeals to the Court. DAV represents more claimants 
than any other organization or individual. Prior to this year, DAV had 
appealed to the Court in only those cases where it was requested to do 
so by the claimant. Because the number of cases being decided by the 
Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) declined markedly in 1993 and 1994, the 
number of cases which could potentially be appealed to the Court was 
half of what it had been in earlier years. Chief Judge Frank Q. Nebeker 
in testimony before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee mentioned 
reducing the number of judges of the U.S. Court of Veterans Appeals 
from seven to five. During that same hearing the DAV testified that a 
reduction in the number of judges at this time would be premature.
    Two changes occurred during this year. Of significant impact the 
Board of Veterans' Appeals began issuing many more decisions. As these 
decisions were received by claimants, more and more veterans and 
dependents began requesting COVA review. The majority of the increase 
in appeals filed by our COVA Office is the result of a new review 
program. In late 1995, the DAV COVA Office staff began reviewing BVA 
decisions even before an appeal was requested by the claimant. 
Decisions received by the DAV Board of Veterans' Appeals Office are 
sent to the DAV COVA Office soon after they are issued. If the DAV COVA 
staff believes the Board has made a reversible error in deciding the 
case, a letter is sent to the claimant recommending that an appeal be 
initiated. Our COVA staff continues to set the standard as it has since 
the Court began.
             social security disability insurance benefits
    DAV National Service Officers provide representation before Social 
Security Administrative Law Judges. From July 1, 1995, through June 30, 
1996, National Service Officers represented 215 claimants. By applying 
their knowledge of Social Security laws and regulations they 
successfully obtained benefits in the amount of $3,173,703.00. DAV also 
presents cases to the Social Security Appeals Council.
                               insurance
    DAV National Service Officers assist claimants in filing for VA 
insurance, applying for waiver of premiums and beneficiary insurance 
proceeds. Our National Service Offices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
and St. Paul, Minnesota, continue to provide outstanding representation 
at the VA Insurance Centers. DAV NSOs appeared before the VA 566 times. 
Their representative from July 1, 1995 through June 30, 1996 resulted 
in monetary benefits to DAV claimants in the amount of $4,586,703.00.
                       physical evaluation boards
    National Service Officers in San Diego, California, San Antonio, 
Texas, and Washington, D.C., provide representation to military 
retirees and active duty personnel. Collectively they represented 943 
cases before Physical Evaluation Boards and Discharge Review Boards 
resulting in monetary benefits in the amount of $8,459,068.00.
                         administrative reviews
    The DAV's Administrative Review Program continues to be a showcase 
for the technical expertise and tenacity of our NSOs. Administrative 
reviews, which are not a part of the VA's appeals process, are 
requested upon a finding of clear and unmistakable error in a rating 
decision.
    Typically, an NSO, during an examination of a veteran's claims 
folder will encounter a rating decision which they believe to be in 
error. NSOs refer these cases to National Service and Legislative 
Headquarters. Following a review by the National Service Department, 
appropriate cases reflecting clear and unmistakable error are referred 
to VA Central Office. During the past year, 25 cases have been 
submitted for Administrative Review. Only one has not received 
favorable consideration resulting in a 94.7 percent allowance rate. We 
are optimistically awaiting responses on six pending cases that have 
yet to be decided. The Administrative Review Program continues to be a 
very effective method of resolving complex cases involving matters of 
policy and procedures. Our NSOs are encouraged to bring interesting 
cases to our attention.
                       board of veterans' appeals
    Since the 1995 National Convention, the DAV Board of Veterans' 
Appeals staff, with Supervisor Jerry Cox at the helm, has had to 
weather several storms, both literally and figuratively. Approximately 
21 federal workdays were lost due to the government-wide furloughs, as 
well as the blizzard of 1996. Although the Board was essentially 
shutdown, there was no reduction in the number of claimants filing 
appeals. Notwithstanding the lost workdays, for FY 96 both the BVA as 
well as the DAV expect to exceed the number of cases processed during 
FY 95. In FY 95 the Board issued decisions in 28,195 cases. For FY 96 
through June 30, 1996, the Board already issued 24,701 decisions and is 
on pace to decide in excess of 32,000 cases. Despite these efforts, 
there remains an unacceptably large number of appeals pending on the 
BVA docket. At the end of FY 95 there were 58,943 appeals which had 
been certified for BVA review with an additional 27,116 awaiting 
certification. This adds up to an astonishing 86,059 cases pending in 
the appellate pipeline. In familiar terms, this is called a 
``backlog.''
    Steps instituted at BVA to help alleviate the backlog of appeals 
includes a restructuring of the Board by setting up geographical 
decision teams and the hiring of approximately 125 new attorneys. 
Additionally, with respect to hearings, the Board held 553 Travel Board 
hearings in FY 95. In FY 96 the Board projects approximately 2,800 
Travel Board hearings will be held. Further, while the Board conducted 
154 Central Office hearings in FY 95, for FY 96 through June 30, 1996, 
the Board has already held 209 Central Office hearings. Recently, the 
Board issued an action plan to significantly increase the number of 
Central Office hearings from 15 to 48 per week. Further, the Board has 
held 100 video conference hearings since July 1995 and plans to hold 
another 80 this summer. The video conference hearings have been held at 
the St. Petersburg, Florida, and Des Moines, Iowa, regional offices and 
the Nashville, Tennessee, VA Medical Center. DAV is excited about this 
new ``state of the art'' technology, which is still in the early 
developmental state, because it promises to help address the backlog 
and delays in appellate hearings.
    The average processing time (the time it takes to issue a final 
decision once a claimant has submitted a substantial appeal) is 
currently 950 days if the appeal requires no remand, 1,425 days in 
appeals involving one remand, and 1,836 days if more than one remand is 
required. In FY 95, 47.6 percent of all cases reviewed by the Board 
were remanded. In FY 96 through June 30, 1996, approximately 43 percent 
of the cases have been remanded. The DAV continues to be concerned with 
the number of cases being remanded.
    In the face of all these changes and challenges, the DAV BVA staff 
continues to perform impressive on behalf of the claimants we 
represent. The DAV was the representative of record in nearly 40 
percent of all appeals heard before the Board and has an allowance rate 
of 23 percent. No other organization has more appeals granted than the 
DAV again this year.
                            computerization
    This past year has seen a continuing expansion in the 
computerization of the National Service Program. In addition to the on-
line service from WESTLAW for our Court of Veterans Appeals Office, the 
National Appeals and National Service Offices are continuing their 
integration efforts with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
    Our Board of Veterans' Appeals Office has access to computer-based 
laws, regulations and text of all BVA decisions. Although BVA decisions 
are not precedent setting in nature, it is important that the language 
and logic utilized by our appeals staff provide the most concise and 
supportive presentation to support veterans' appeals.
    Nearly every National Service Office is now provided with access to 
the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA) Group which includes the VA 
TARGET and Automate Reference Material System (ARMS). The TARGET system 
provides National Service Officers access to the status of claims for 
those claimants DAV represents without having to have the VA claims 
folder. ARMS provides each National Service Office with access to the 
most current version of VA regulations and manual citations. ARMS 
provides a limited inquiry system which allows cross referencing 
between laws, regulations, and manual citations.
    Finally, there is an ongoing effort to provide personal computers 
for each DAV National Service Officer to improve their efficiency and 
knowledge. As a part of this project a ``user friendly'' National 
Service Office data base, diary, and report system is being tested. The 
intent of this program is to decrease the frequency of handling files 
allowing more time for NSOs to provide direct services to veterans.
                              agent orange
    Between 1982 and 1995, the Department of Veterans Affairs recognize 
that veterans expose to dioxin and other herbicide agents during active 
military, naval, and air service in Vietnam were incurring certain 
types of diseases in numbers far exceeding those incurred by the 
general population. As a result, the VA established regulations to 
facilitate claims for service connection on a presumptive basis for 
those diseases. The list of these diseases has been expanded on a 
continuing basis a the scientific community has raised the question of 
a statistically significant risk between a disease and exposure to 
dioxin or other herbicides.
    In May of this year, President Clinton announced that Vietnam 
veterans afflicted with prostate cancer and acute and subacute 
peripheral neuropathy will be entitled to service connection based on 
their exposure to herbicides.
    Additionally, the President announced that the Department of 
Veterans Affairs will be proposing legislation to provide an 
appropriate remedy for children of Vietnam veterans who suffer from 
spina bifida. Just as the DAV was in the forefront in requesting that 
the VA recognize entitlement to benefits for Veterans who suffered from 
diseases related to herbicide exposure, the DAV has already initiated 
dialogue with government leaders on this issue, concerning the health 
care needs of children with spina bifida. Moreover, the DAV has 
suggested the formation of a committee of government and nongovernment 
experts, to include representatives from veterans' service 
organizations, to examine the prospect of providing recompense to 
individuals or family members harmed as a result of a veterans's 
military service.
              prosthetic and special disabilities programs
    In 1990 the Department of Veterans Affairs established a DAV 
supported, congressionally mandated Secretary's Advisory Committee on 
Prosthetic and Special Disabilities Program. Prior to his appointment 
as Executive Director of DAV's Washington Headquarters, David W. Gorman 
served on this committee. In March 1996, Secretary of Veterans Affairs 
Jesse Brown appointed Deputy National Service Director Jerry P. 
Steelman to this very important committee. The committee has made 
several recommendations in the areas of spinal cord injuries and blind 
rehabilitation expansion of VICTORS (Visual Impairment Center to 
Optimize Remaining Sight) and to establish an eye care center of 
excellence. This committee has been instrumental in maintaining the 
strength and integrity of rehabilitation and prosthetic programs.
                         persian gulf veterans
    In 1994, legislation was passed and signed into law authorizing 
payment of disability compensation to Persian Gulf veterans with 
chronic undiagnosed illnesses. The Department of Veterans Affairs soon 
after implemented regulations to establish entitlement to compensation 
for veterans with symptoms of undiagnosed illnesses which became 
manifest to a degree of 10 percent or more within two years after 
leaving the Persian Gulf. The symptoms of undiagnosed illness included 
fatigue, muscle and joint pains, breathing problems and 
gastrointestinal problems. DAV National Service Officers are reviewing 
all rating board actions on Persian Gulf War veterans to detect 
patterns of illness and need for additional government actions. Because 
of the low allowance rate (5 percent) and our concern leading to a 
review of all of the previously denied claims, we are recommending a 
longer presumptive period of more than two years.
    The DAV was in the forefront advocating action for compensation and 
special health care for Gulf War veterans, and we will continue to 
monitor actions by both Congress and the VA to ensure continued service 
for these veterans of our most recent war. Jerry D. Cox, Supervisor of 
the DAV National Appeals Office, at the Board of Veterans Appeal's, 
represented DAV serving on the Persian Gulf Expert Scientific 
Committee. This committee provides legislative recommendations to the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs regarding Persian Gulf illness.
                             women veterans
    DAV continues to be concerned and committed to the goal of 
supporting our nation's women veterans. National Service Officer 
Patricia A. Bracciale serves on this congressionally mandated VA 
Advisory Committee for Women Veterans addressing such problems as 
timely and appropriate gender specific health care for women veterans.
    Some of the issues are Vietnam women veterans reproductive health 
research, plight of homeless women veterans, and a constellation of 
other pertinent issues specific to women veterans. This committee was 
in the process of drafting its 1996 report to Congress when the 
November and December 1995 furloughs occurred. That, together with the 
lack of congressional funding, has resulted in no committee meetings 
since June 1995. In spite of this temporary setback to the VA's Women 
Veterans Advisory Committee, the DAV is resolved to support solutions 
to those problems faced by our women veterans.
   hospital service coordinators department service officer training
    Hospital Service Coordinators (HSC) and Department Service Officers 
(DOSs) are on the front line dealing with veterans on a daily basis. 
Many times they are the first contact a veteran has with the Disabled 
American Veterans. Certainly, it is important to DAV and the veterans 
we serve that these individuals are kept knowledgeable about veterans' 
benefit entitlement programs and the DAV.
    During this past year, two HSC/DSO Training Programs were 
conducted. Presentations were given by Washington Headquarters 
Executive Director David Gorman, National Legislative Director Richard 
Schultz, National Employment Director Ronald Drach, National Director 
of Voluntary Services Bruce Nitsche, and Assistant to the Executive 
Director for Membership and Purchasing Charles Luttjohann. 
Additionally, National Service Officers Robert Plante, Supervisor of 
DAV's National Service Office in Chicago, Illinois, and Harry (Skip) 
Erway, Supervisor of DAV's National Service Office in Louisville, 
Kentucky, provided instruction on veterans' benefit entitlements.
    We have had an overwhelming response from HSCs and DSOs expressing 
their thanks for providing this very important training. To date, 147 
HSCs and DSOs have received this valuable training. We are currently in 
the process of updating training materials and hope to be able to 
provide additional training during the ensuing year. We would like to 
express our thanks to the Departments of California and Colorado, which 
hosted this training, as well as those departments who sponsored 
participants.
                          information seminars
    DAV NSOs provide outreach services by conducting information 
seminars. Many DAV chapters host these very informative meetings as a 
way to increase public awareness, strengthen their membership, and, 
most importantly, provide benefit information and claims assistance to 
veterans in their community. From July 1, 1995, through June 30, 1996, 
NSOs conducted 52 information seminars and provided assistance to 3,650 
veterans and their families. We have directed our NSOs to expand their 
efforts promoting chapters and departments to take advantage of the 
Information Seminar Program as it is a vital part of DAV's mission.
   transition assistance programs and disabled transition assistance 
                                programs
    As the military continues downsizing, more demands have been placed 
on our NSOs involved in the Transition Assistance Program (TAP) and the 
Disabled Transition Assistance Program (DTAP). DAV NSO conduct 
briefings giving an overview on VA entitlement programs. When 
requested, they conduct service medical record reviews and assist in 
the filing of claims for VA disability compensation and other benefits. 
During the past year, NSOs and DSOs have provided transition assistance 
at 115 military bases and have briefed 104,433 military personnel 
resulting in 81,614 compensation claims being filed with the VA.
                           homeless veterans
    As we celebrate DAV'S Diamond Anniversary, many veterans have 
little or nothing to rejoice about, for they are homeless. The number 
of homeless veterans is a growing concern to the DAV. Recent statistics 
show that veterans make up approximately one-third of the homeless 
population. One must wonder whether there is a relationship between 
homeless veterans and their military service. Did that service somehow 
contribute to psychological and adjustment problems? Regardless of the 
cause, DAV has once again stepped forward participating in stand-downs. 
During stand-downs NSOs provide assistance that takes on many different 
forms including obtaining medical care, filing disability claims, 
assistance in obtaining food, shelter, clothing, and networking with 
Local Veterans Employment Representatives (LVER) and Disabled Veterans 
Outreach Program Specialists (DVOP) for employment assistance.
    In some areas they are able to make referrals to DAV departments 
and chapters that have homeless programs in place. By caring enough to 
make a difference, our NSO, DAV members, departments, and chapters will 
help bring dignity back into the lives of those men and women who 
helped to defend our country.
                         incarcerated veterans
    The DAV recognizes the importance of rehabilitation, and for this 
reason many NSOs have become involved in programs at correctional 
facilities. The assistance rendered by our National Service Officers 
covers a wide range, from claims representation to education and 
training, preparing them to reenter society. It is certainly a 
worthwhile service, and I commend those NSO who are active in this 
area.
                        native american veterans
    DAV National Service Officers through a variety of programs have 
been providing outreach service to Native Americans. Some National 
Service Officers make regularly scheduled visits to reservations where 
they provide benefit information and assist in the filing of claims. 
Regardless of the type of service provided, DAV NSOs play an important 
role in making sure that Native Americans receive those benefits to 
which they are entitled as a result of their military service.
                  national veterans training institute
    Our National Service Officers in Denver, Colorado, have been 
involved with the University of Colorado at Denver, serving as 
instructors at the National Veterans Training Institute (NVTI). To date 
4, 320 Local Veterans Employment Representatives and Disabled Veterans 
Outreach Program Specialists have been provided veterans benefits 
entitlement training. During their instruction, our NSOs stress claims 
development, medical evidence, secondary disabilities, vocational 
rehabilitation and education, and other related topics designed to 
provide LVERs and DVOP a working knowledge of the VA's benefit delivery 
system. By networking with LVERs and DVOP, DAV NSO nationwide reach out 
to a greater number of veterans providing the very best claims 
representation available. We look forward to continuing our 
relationship with the National Veterans Training Institute on into the 
future.
                                summary
    The accomplishments reflected by this report were made possible 
through the combined efforts of all DAV and DAV Auxiliary members. Each 
member's efforts, whether at the chapter of department level or at a VA 
medical center, help DAV to fulfill its mission.
    Hospital Service Coordinators, Department Service Officers and 
Chapter Service Officers play an important role in DAV's success. Their 
direct contact and assistance to veterans and their families in the 
initial stage of a VA claim is of tremendous benefit to our National 
Service Officers. By everyone caring enough to make a difference, DAV 
continues to provide service second to none.
    The Service Department during this past year has been very 
fortunate to have the support of National Commander Thomas A. 
McMasters, III, the National Line Officers, National Executive 
Committee, National Finance Committee, and the National Service 
Foundation and the Charitable Service Trust. I can tell you without 
question, their commitment to DAV's National Service Program is as 
strong, if not stronger, than ever before. I would like to thank them 
for that support.
    The staff of your National Service Department has also changed 
during this past year, and I would like to recognize another recent 
retiree. On October 22, 1972, a young combat wounded Army veteran of 
the Vietnam conflict joined DAV's NSO corps. He underwent his initial 
phase of training at DAV's National Service Office, Lincoln, Nebraska, 
Transferring in October of 1972 to DAV's National Service Office in San 
Antonio, Texas. In 1974, he was promoted to supervisor of that office 
and served in that capacity until his promotion to supervisor of DAV's 
office in Chicago, Illinois. In October of 1990, he was appointed to 
the position of personnel director at DAV's National Headquarters in 
Cold Spring, Kentucky. On November 1, 1993, he was named field director 
of the National Service Department at National Service and Legislative 
Headquarters, Washington, D.C. I can tell you that National Service 
Officer Darrel E. Babcock gave his all to the DAV and those veterans we 
serve. His dedication and unselfish devotion to the DAV is without 
question. On behalf of the National Service Department, I would like to 
express our sincere appreciation for a job well done and wish National 
Service Officer Babcock the very best in his retirement.
    I would like to take this opportunity to thank the National Service 
Officer corps and their support staffs for their devotion, compassion, 
and unselfish service they display on the job daily. I know first hand 
of their sacrifices. I also know they are successful because they 
believe in DAV's mission.
    On behalf of the National Service staff, we wish to thank National 
Headquarters Executive Director Richard E. Patterson, and the 
directors, managers, and employees of Cold Spring, Kentucky for their 
assistance supporting the Service Department and your service programs.
    The National Service Department works closely with the DAV 
Auxiliary. I wish to take this opportunity to thank Auxiliary National 
Commander Barbara Hicks, the Auxiliary Line Officers, and Auxiliary 
National Adjutant Maria Tedrow for their support. We look forward to 
working with the Auxiliary in the ensuing year.
    I also wish to thank Washington Headquarters Executive Director 
David W. Gorman for his guidance and leadership. His vast experience in 
legislation and service has been extremely valuable as we plan for the 
future.
    At National Service and Legislative Headquarters networking with 
all of DAV's program directors is vitally important in the daily 
activity of your National Service staff. I would like to thank 
Legislative Director Richard F. Schultz, Employment Director Ronald W. 
Drach, Director of Voluntary Services Bruce G. Nitsche, Associate 
National director of Communications David E. Autry and their staffs for 
their support. That old adage ``by working together we will get the job 
done'' is certainly true.
    I would be remiss if I didn't personally thank the support staff at 
National Service and Legislative Headquarters for their very efficient 
assistance during this year of change. That assistance has been 
invaluable to the Service Department.
    I would also like to thank the National Service Department staff 
who is charged with the responsibility of fulfilling DAV's chartered 
purpose. This is being accomplished by Assistant National Service 
Directors Anthony L. Baskerville and Michael J. Walsh, and Deputy 
National Service Director Jerry P. Steelman. Each Member of the Service 
Department has different areas of responsibility. As they fulfill those 
responsibilities, the scope, depth, and direction of DAV's Service 
Programs take shape, I am confident that your Service Department will 
continue its efforts to improve DAV's Service Programs and in turn 
fulfilling DAV's mission.
    As we look back on the accomplishments of our 75th year, it becomes 
apparent that the world we live in will continue to change. There will 
be advancement in the field of medicine. And, yes, the highly technical 
computers of today will become obsolete necessitating the DAV to once 
again change how it conducts business. We must and will continue our 
modernization program to ensure quality representation.
    The success reflected throughout this report didn't just happen by 
chance, National Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson has been there at every turn 
providing his support, guidance, and encouragement. On behalf of the 
entire National Service Department, I wish to thank him for his 
outstanding leadership. . . .
    In DAV's 75-year history, we have grown in stature and wisdom. 
We've learned that history repeats itself and that, unfortunately, 
there continues to be a need for the Disabled American Veterans to 
remain strong. As our nation battles for freedom and world peace, the 
price of that freedom continues to be high. The casualties American 
troops have sustained in Bosnia and in the recent bombing in Saudi 
Arabia make it clear that there will be a continuing need for DAV's 
services. Your can be assured the DAV stands ready and our cause is 
just. The DAV will be there for today's returning warriors just as it 
was for you and me. In closing, the success achieved by each of our 
National Service Offices is reflected in the statistical data of this 
report.

                  RECAPITULATION OF SERVICE ACTIVITIES                  
                   July 1, 1995 through June 30, 1996                   
                             Montgomery, Alabama                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     294     
    Compensation Increased                                      954     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,253     
    Pension                                                     516     
    Pension Maintained                                          102     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          304     
    Miscellaneous                                                91     
    Death Compensation                                           52     
    Death Pension                                                81     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           250     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              3,897     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,835,683.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $24,959,721.15  
    Full Amount                                         $26,795,404.15  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         4,186     
    Power of Attorneys                                          784     
    Interviews                                                1,793     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  2,322     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    3     
    New Claims                                                2,352     
    Membership                                                   43     
                                                                        
                              Phoenix, Arizona                          
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     809     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,559     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,647     
    Pension                                                     258     
    Pension Maintained                                           76     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          846     
    Miscellaneous                                               160     
    Death Compensation                                          103     
    Death Pension                                                11     
    Insurance                                                     2     
    Burial Allowances                                           373     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              5,844     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $3,205,179.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $45,463,004.00  
    Full Amount                                         $48,668,183.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         9,222     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,530     
    Interviews                                                3,538     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  8,045     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    1     
    New Claims                                                3,285     
    Membership                                                  120     
                                                                        
                            Little Rock, Arkansas                       
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     504     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,338     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,372     
    Pension                                                     621     
    Pension Maintained                                          140     
    Social Security                                              14     
    Education Benefits                                          459     
    Miscellaneous                                               204     
    Death Compensation                                          113     
    Death Pension                                               152     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           306     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              5,223     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,624,913.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $34,423,951.00  
    Full Amount                                         $37,048,864.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         9,366     
    Power of Attorneys                                        3,007     
    Interviews                                                4,416     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  5,817     
    Military Affairs                                            541     
    Social Security Activities                                  108     
    New Claims                                                4,878     
    Membership                                                  209     
                                                                        
                         W. Los Angeles, California                     
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     839     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,143     
    Compensation Maintained                                   2,498     
    Pension                                                   1,487     
    Pension Maintained                                          189     
    Social Security                                               3     
    Education Benefits                                        1,195     
    Miscellaneous                                               113     
    Death Compensation                                          121     
    Death Pension                                               390     
    Insurance                                                    61     
    Burial Allowances                                           406     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              8,445     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $3,688,368.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $49,343,811.00  
    Full Amount                                         $53,032,179.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         9,844     
    Power of Attorneys                                        4,603     
    Interviews                                                5,567     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  6,407     
    Military Affairs                                          2,867     
    Social Security Activities                                    3     
    New Claims                                                6,126     
    Membership                                                   81     
                                                                        
                          San Francisco, California                     
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                   1,287     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,743     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,924     
    Pension                                                     198     
    Pension Maintained                                           37     
    Social Security                                               2     
    Education Benefits                                          393     
    Miscellaneous                                               222     
    Death Compensation                                          129     
    Death Pension                                                 8     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           390     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              6,333     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $6,737,855.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $52,565,854.00  
    Full Amount                                         $59,303,709.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         7,121     
    Power of Attorneys                                        2,309     
    Interviews                                                3,338     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  5,642     
    Military Affairs                                            527     
    Social Security Activities                                   15     
    New Claims                                                3,914     
    Membership                                                  199     
                                                                        
                              Denver, Colorado                          
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                   1,122     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,234     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,805     
    Pension                                                     260     
    Pension Maintained                                           96     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          687     
    Miscellaneous                                               156     
    Death Compensation                                           69     
    Death Pension                                                39     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           286     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              5,754     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,943,377.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $45,660,589.00  
    Full Amount                                         $48,603,966.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         7,698     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,852     
    Interviews                                                1,866     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  5,687     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                2,753     
    Membersip                                                   252     
                                                                        
                            Hartford, Connecticut                       
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                      85     
    Compensation Increased                                      332     
    Compensation Maintained                                     593     
    Pension                                                      48     
    Pension Maintained                                          226     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          121     
    Miscellaneous                                                13     
    Death Compensation                                           23     
    Death Pension                                                 2     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           123     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              1,566     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $795,617.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $10,149,536.20  
    Full Amount                                         $10,945,153.20  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         2,604     
    Power of Attorneys                                          229     
    Interviews                                                  494     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,189     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  830     
    Membership                                                   14     
                                                                        
                               Washington, DC                           
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     322     
    Compensation Increased                                      583     
    Compensation Maintained                                     904     
    Pension                                                      95     
    Pension Maintained                                          210     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          274     
    Miscellaneous                                                48     
    Death Compensation                                           38     
    Death Pension                                                 8     
    Insurance                                                     2     
    Burial Allowances                                           117     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                  131     
    Total Awards                                              2,733     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,300,614.45  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $20,946,768.90  
    Full Amount                                         $22,247,383.35  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         2,272     
    Power of Attorneys                                          498     
    Interviews                                                2,305     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,097     
    Military Affairs                                            901     
    Social Security Activities                                    3     
    New Claims                                                1,544     
    Membership                                                   95     
                                                                        
                           St. Petersburg, Florida                      
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                   1,360     
    Compensation Increased                                    3,768     
    Compensation Maintained                                   5,913     
    Pension                                                   1,118     
    Pension Maintained                                          447     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                        1,121     
    Miscellaneous                                               202     
    Death Compensation                                          450     
    Death Pension                                               187     
    Insurance                                                     6     
    Burial Allowances                                         1,132     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                             15,704     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $7,960,365.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                         $120,072,087.36  
    Full Amount                                        $128,032,452.36  
    VA Files Reviewed                                        18,996     
    Power of Attorneys                                        3,444     
    Interviews                                                6,971     
    Rating Board Appearances                                 12,001     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                8,868     
    Membership                                                  289     
                                                                        
                              Atlanta, Georgia                          
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     238     
    Compensation Increased                                      393     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,077     
    Pension                                                      60     
    Pension Maintained                                           54     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          578     
    Miscellaneous                                                16     
    Death Compensation                                           76     
    Death Pension                                                 9     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                            51     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              2,553     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,374,594.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $18,035,444.00  
    Full Amount                                         $19,410,038.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         4,012     
    Power of Attorneys                                          859     
    Interviews                                                1,518     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  2,614     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   11     
    New Claims                                                1,924     
    Membership                                                   64     
                                                                        
                              Honolulu, Hawaii                          
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     151     
    Compensation Increased                                      203     
    Compensation Maintained                                     490     
    Pension                                                       9     
    Pension Maintained                                            7     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                            0     
    Miscellaneous                                                28     
    Death Compensation                                           12     
    Death Pension                                                 2     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                            70     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                972     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $535,345.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                           $8,977,275.00  
    Full Amount                                          $9,512,620.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         1,104     
    Power of Attorneys                                          288     
    Interviews                                                1,261     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,047     
    Military Affairs                                            205     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  903     
    Membership                                                   62     
                                                                        
                                Boise, Idaho                            
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     231     
    Compensation Increased                                      205     
    Compensation Maintained                                     563     
    Pension                                                      31     
    Pension Maintained                                          568     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          177     
    Miscellaneous                                                18     
    Death Compensation                                           33     
    Death Pension                                                20     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                            60     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              1,907     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $964,959.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $11,626,597.00  
    Full Amount                                         $12,591,556.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         1,437     
    Power of Attorneys                                          736     
    Interviews                                                1,154     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,373     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    9     
    New Claims                                                  715     
    Membership                                                   33     
                                                                        
                              Chicago, Illinois                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     396     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,122     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,071     
    Pension                                                     559     
    Pension Maintained                                          397     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                           27     
    Miscellaneous                                               110     
    Death Compensation                                           51     
    Death Pension                                                37     
    Insurance                                                    41     
    Burial Allowances                                           343     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              4,155     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $3,121,571.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $27,400,567.80  
    Full Amount                                         $30,522,138.80  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         3,979     
    Power of Attorneys                                          841     
    Interviews                                                2,065     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  3,203     
    Military Affairs                                              3     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                2,184     
    Membership                                                   95     
                                                                        
                            Indianapolis, Indiana                       
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     235     
    Compensation Increased                                      934     
    Compensation Maintained                                     757     
    Pension                                                     339     
    Pension Maintained                                          427     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          389     
    Miscellaneous                                               143     
    Death Compensation                                           61     
    Death Pension                                                68     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                            97     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              3,450     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,433,960.12  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $19,804,571.32  
    Full Amount                                         $21,238,531.44  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         4,874     
    Power of Attorneys                                          589     
    Interviews                                                1,202     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  3,974     
    Military Affairs                                             33     
    Social Security Activities                                   19     
    New Claims                                                2,310     
    Membership                                                   45     
                                                                        
                              Des Moines, Iowa                          
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     207     
    Compensation Increased                                      559     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,155     
    Pension                                                     335     
    Pension Maintained                                          741     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          284     
    Miscellaneous                                               195     
    Death Compensation                                           40     
    Death Pension                                               273     
    Insurance                                                    45     
    Burial Allowances                                           152     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              3,986     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,861,845.00  
    Total Retroative Payments                           $23,525,768.95  
    Full Amount                                         $25,387,613.95  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         4,501     
    Power of Attorneys                                          522     
    Interviews                                                1,613     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  3,507     
    Military Affairs                                              2     
    Social Security Activities                                    1     
    New Claims                                                1,491     
    Membership                                                  523     
                                                                        
                               Wichita, Kansas                          
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     259     
    Compensation Increased                                      412     
    Compensation Maintained                                     702     
    Pension                                                      95     
    Pension Maintained                                          742     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          239     
    Miscellaneous                                                13     
    Death Compensation                                           48     
    Death Pension                                               159     
    Insurance                                                     2     
    Burial Allowances                                           130     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              2,802     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,351,881.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $17,872,068.00  
    Full Amount                                         $19,223,949.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         1,954     
    Power of Attorneys                                          772     
    Interviews                                                1,416     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,832     
    Military Affairs                                              6     
    Social Security Activities                                    1     
    New Claims                                                2,736     
    Membership                                                   87     
                                                                        
                            Louisville, Kentucky                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     399     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,088     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,192     
    Pension                                                   5,106     
    Pension Maintained                                          140     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                           69     
    Miscellaneous                                               118     
    Death Compensation                                          101     
    Death Pension                                             1,720     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           556     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                             10,490     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $4,380,662.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $75,168,803.00  
    Full Amount                                         $79,549,465.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         6,900     
    Power Of Attorneys                                        2,191     
    Interviews                                                  700     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  7,034     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    3     
    New Claims                                                4,826     
    Membership                                                  132     
                                                                        
                           New Orleans, Louisiana                       
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     347     
    Compensation Increased                                      655     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,006     
    Pension                                                     421     
    Pension Maintained                                          213     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          399     
    Miscellaneous                                                90     
    Death Compensation                                           24     
    Death Pension                                                18     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             8     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              3,182     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,526,174.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $23,998,644.00  
    Full Amount                                         $25,524,818.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         4,338     
    Power Of Attorneys                                          768     
    Interviews                                                3,553     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  2,871     
    Military Affairs                                             29     
    Social Security Activities                                   36     
    New Claims                                                4,784     
    Membership                                                   81     
                                                                        
                                Togus, Maine                            
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     165     
    Compensation Increased                                      723     
    Compensation Maintained                                     513     
    Pension                                                      87     
    Pension Maintained                                           48     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          310     
    Miscellaneous                                                55     
    Death Compensation                                           18     
    Death Pension                                                 1     
    Insurance                                                     1     
    Burial Allowances                                            96     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              2,017     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,364,740.08  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $17,779,533.36  
    Full Amount                                          19,144,273.44  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         2,089     
    Power of Attorneys                                          316     
    Interviews                                                2,612     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,881     
    Military Affairs                                              1     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  229     
    Membership                                                  240     
                                                                        
                             Balitmore, Maryland                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     201     
    Cmopensation Increased                                      480     
    Compensation Maintained                                     495     
    Pension                                                      96     
    Pension Maintained                                           88     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          234     
    Miscellaneous                                                20     
    Death Compensation                                           18     
    Death Pension                                                12     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                            29     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              1,674     
    Total Monthly Increases                                 824,841.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $11,526,031.00  
    Full Amount                                          12,350,872.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         2,048     
    Power of Attorneys                                          324     
    Interviews                                                1,061     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,145     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  560     
    Membership                                                   67     
                                                                        
                            Boston, Massachusetts                       
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     450     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,498     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,505     
    Pension                                                     259     
    Pension Maintained                                           31     
    Social Security                                               3     
    Education Benefits                                          565     
    Miscellaneous                                                30     
    Death Compensation                                           77     
    Death Pension                                                62     
    Insurance                                                     1     
    Burial Allowances                                           392     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              4,873     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,573,805.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $39,523,737.00  
    Full Amount                                         $42,097,542.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         9,231     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,586     
    Interviews                                                5,393     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  6,352     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    7     
    New Claims                                                4,670     
    Membership                                                  293     
                                                                        
                              Detroit, Michigan                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     243     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,018     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,126     
    Pension                                                     449     
    Pension Maintained                                          467     
    Social Security                                               4     
    Education Benefits                                          329     
    Miscellaneous                                               117     
    Death Compensation                                           71     
    Death Pension                                               302     
    Insurance                                                     2     
    Burial Allowances                                           407     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              4,535     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,864,364.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $24,913,578.00  
    Full Amount                                         $26,777,942.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                        10,445     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,456     
    Interviews                                                1,777     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  4,750     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   28     
    New Claims                                                4,849     
    Membership                                                   72     
                                                                        
                             St. Paul, Minnesota                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     646     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,228     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,276     
    Pension                                                     335     
    Pension Maintained                                          117     
    Social Security                                               4     
    Education Benefits                                          646     
    Miscellaneous                                               234     
    Death Compensation                                           80     
    Death Pension                                               150     
    Insurance                                                    13     
    Burial Allowances                                           288     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              5,017     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,578,965.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $36,222,972.00  
    Full Amount                                         $38,801,937.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         9,159     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,223     
    Interviews                                                1,656     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  5,853     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   11     
    New Claims                                                8,959     
    Membership                                                   81     
                                                                        
                            Jackson, Mississippi                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     155     
    Compensation Increased                                      479     
    Compensation Maintained                                     639     
    Pension                                                     387     
    Pension Maintained                                           82     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          207     
    Miscellaneous                                                30     
    Death Compensation                                           26     
    Death Pension                                                38     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                            94     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              2,137     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $976,453.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $15,013,538.00  
    Full Amount                                         $15,989,991.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         1,828     
    Power of Attorneys                                          358     
    Interviews                                                  622     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,398     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                1,339     
    Membership                                                   35     
                                                                        
                             St. Louis, Missouri                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     738     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,338     
    Compensation Maintained                                   2,684     
    Pension                                                     697     
    Pension Maintained                                          518     
    Social Security                                              15     
    Education Benefits                                        1,528     
    Miscellaneous                                               289     
    Death Compensation                                           75     
    Death Pension                                                78     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           201     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              8,161     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $4,836,437.49  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $52,645,428.28  
    Full Amount                                         $57,481,865.77  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         8,815     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,984     
    Interviews                                                2,845     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  7,155     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   35     
    New Claims                                                7,117     
    Membership                                                  144     
                                                                        
                           Fort Harrison, Montana                       
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     106     
    Compensation Increased                                      369     
    Compensation Maintained                                     156     
    Pension                                                      70     
    Pension Maintained                                           19     
    Social Security                                               2     
    Education Benefits                                           73     
    Miscellaneous                                                19     
    Death Compensation                                           11     
    Death Pension                                                 6     
    Insurance                                                     8     
    Burial Allowances                                            84     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                923     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $378,398.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                           $5,622,679.00  
    Full Amount                                          $6,001,077.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                           498     
    Power of Attorneys                                          257     
    Interviews                                                1,894     
    Rating Board Appearances                                    489     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   17     
    New Claims                                                  246     
    Membership                                                   52     
                                                                        
                              Lincoln, Nebraska                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     171     
    Compensation Increased                                      376     
    Compensation Maintained                                     450     
    Pension                                                     157     
    Pension Maintained                                           17     
    Social Security                                               5     
    Education Benefits                                           37     
    Miscellaneous                                                22     
    Death Compensation                                           25     
    Death Pension                                                24     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           113     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              1,397     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $791,024.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $11,116,719.00  
    Full Amount                                         $11,907,743.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         1,320     
    Power of Attorneys                                          520     
    Interviews                                                  631     
    Rating Board Appearances                                    950     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   32     
    New Claims                                                  771     
    Membership                                                    8     
                                                                        
                          Manchester, New Hampshire                     
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     263     
    Compensation Increased                                      624     
    Compensation Maintained                                     859     
    Pension                                                      79     
    Pension Maintained                                          169     
    Social Security                                               7     
    Education Benefits                                          210     
    Miscellaneous                                                49     
    Death Compensation                                           18     
    Death Pension                                                 2     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             9     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              2,289     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,739,053.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $20,532,666.00  
    Full Amount                                         $22,271,719.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         4,665     
    Power of Attorneys                                          511     
    Interviews                                                2,361     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  3,203     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   96     
    New Claims                                                  983     
    Membership                                                   83     
                                                                        
                             Newark, New Jersey                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     239     
    Compensation Increased                                      966     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,059     
    Pension                                                     114     
    Pension Maintained                                          155     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          403     
    Miscellaneous                                                39     
    Death Compensation                                           89     
    Death Pension                                                25     
    Insurance                                                     1     
    Burial Allowances                                           277     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              3,367     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,008,462.92  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $17,778,846.41  
    Full Amount                                         $19,787,309.33  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         3,787     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,219     
    Interviews                                                2,424     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  2,494     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    1     
    New Claims                                                3,598     
    Membership                                                   94     
                                                                        
                           Albuquerque, New Mexico                      
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     289     
    Compensation Increased                                      601     
    Compensation Maintained                                     791     
    Pension                                                     207     
    Pension Maintained                                          295     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Eduation Benefits                                           293     
    Miscellaneous                                                16     
    Death Compensation                                           35     
    Death Pension                                                48     
    Insurance                                                     1     
    Burial Allowances                                           178     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              2,754     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,402,858.23  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $16,859,793.85  
    Full Amount                                         $18,262,652.08  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         2,661     
    Power of Attorneys                                          667     
    Interviews                                                2,327     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,999     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                1,341     
    Membership                                                   89     
                                                                        
                             New York, New York                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     482     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,530     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,500     
    Pension                                                     185     
    Pension Maintained                                          301     
    Social Security                                               3     
    Education Benefits                                           53     
    Miscellaneous                                               172     
    Death Compensation                                           98     
    Death Pension                                                59     
    Insurance                                                    45     
    Burial Allowances                                           443     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              4,871     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,111,448.49  
    Total Retroactive payments                          $39,847,026.56  
    Full Amount                                         $41,958,475.05  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         7,580     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,317     
    Interviews                                                3,521     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  4,485     
    Military Affairs                                              4     
    Social Security Activities                                   17     
    New Claims                                                1,976     
    Membership                                                  284     
                                                                        
                              Albany, New York                          
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                       0     
    Compensation Increased                                        0     
    Compensation Maintained                                       0     
    Pension                                                       0     
    Pension Maintained                                            0     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                            0     
    Miscellaneous                                                 0     
    Death Compensation                                            0     
    Death Compensation                                            0     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             0     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                  1     
    Total Monthly Increases                                    $500.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                              $16,500.00  
    Full Amount                                             $17,000.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                             0     
    Power of Attorneys                                          207     
    Interviews                                                  686     
    Rating Board Appearances                                      2     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    6     
    New Claims                                                  554     
    Membership                                                   52     
                                                                        
                              Buffalo, New York                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     206     
    Compensation Increased                                      565     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,452     
    Pension                                                      73     
    Pension Maintained                                          292     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                        1,782     
    Miscellaneous                                                40     
    Death Compensation                                           51     
    Death Pension                                                29     
    Insurance                                                     6     
    Burial Allowances                                           107     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              4,604     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,354,013.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $28,727,569.00  
    Full Amount                                         $31,081,582.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         7,631     
    Power of Attorneys                                          762     
    Interviews                                                1,616     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  5,812     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                2,295     
    Membership                                                  102     
                                                                        
                             Syracuse, New York                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                       0     
    Compensation Increase                                         0     
    Compensation Maintained                                       0     
    Pension                                                       0     
    Pension Maintained                                            0     
    Social Security                                              16     
    Education Benefits                                            0     
    Miscellaneous                                                 0     
    Death Compensation                                            0     
    Death Pension                                                 0     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             0     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                 16     
    Total Monthly Increase                                  $32,318.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                             $319,361.00  
    Full Amount                                            $351,679.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                           475     
    Power of Attorneys                                          358     
    Interviews                                                1,815     
    Rating Board Appearances                                      0     
    Military Affairs                                             10     
    Social Security Activities                                  106     
    New Claims                                                3,100     
    Membership                                                   49     
                                                                        
                        Winston-Salem, North Carolina                   
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     516     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,768     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,669     
    Pension                                                     249     
    Pension Maintained                                          425     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          388     
    Miscellaneous                                                48     
    Death Compensation                                           51     
    Death Pension                                                26     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           296     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              5,436     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,740,624.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $38,675,127.00  
    Full Amount                                         $41,415,751.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         6,815     
    Power of Attorneys                                        3,073     
    Interviews                                                1,755     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  5,233     
    Military Affairs                                             29     
    Social Security Activities                                    8     
    New Claims                                                4,308     
    Membership                                                   96     
                                                                        
                             Fargo, North Dakota                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     164     
    Compensation Increased                                      355     
    Compensation Maintained                                     417     
    Pension                                                     185     
    Pension Maintained                                          186     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          361     
    Miscellaneous                                                24     
    Death Compensation                                           12     
    Death Pension                                               125     
    Insurance                                                     1     
    Burial Allowances                                            15     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              1,845     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $826,555.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                           $9,776,211.00  
    Full Amount                                         $10,602,766.00  
    Va Files Reviewed                                         2,474     
    Power of Attorneys                                          518     
    Interviews                                                1,403     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,123     
    Miltary Affairs                                               0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                1,213     
    Membership                                                   96     
                                                                        
                               Cleveland, Ohio                          
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     343     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,431     
    Compensation Maintained                                   2,185     
    Pension                                                     548     
    Pension Maintained                                          838     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          539     
    Miscellaneous                                                32     
    Death Compensation                                          153     
    Death Pension                                               520     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           845     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              7,434     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $3,641,191.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $51,718,584.00  
    Full Amount                                         $55,359,775.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                        13,898     
    Power of Attorneys                                        2,106     
    Interviews                                                2,406     
    Rating Board Appearances                                 11,346     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    3     
    New Claims                                                4,704     
    Membership                                                  207     
                                                                        
                              Cincinnati, Ohio                          
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                       0     
    Compensation Increased                                        0     
    Compensation Maintained                                       0     
    Pension                                                       0     
    Pension Maintained                                            0     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                            0     
    Miscellaneous                                                 0     
    Death Compensation                                            0     
    Death Pension                                                 0     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             0     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                  0     
    Total Monthly Increases                                      $0.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                                   $0.00  
    Full Amount                                                  $0.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                           182     
    Power of Attorneys                                          950     
    Interviews                                                  938     
    Rating Board Appearances                                    150     
    Military Affairs                                              6     
    Social Security Activities                                    9     
    New Claims                                                1,797     
    Membership                                                   19     
                                                                        
                             Muskogee, Oklahoma                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     363     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,071     
    Compensation Maintained                                     812     
    Pension                                                     406     
    Pension Maintained                                           53     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          784     
    Miscellaneous                                               117     
    Death Compensation                                           53     
    Death Pension                                               120     
    Insurance                                                    34     
    Burial Allowances                                           159     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              3,972     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,917,558.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $28,724,403.96  
    Full Amount                                         $30,641,961.96  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         3,875     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,362     
    Interviews                                                1,808     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  3,304     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    7     
    New Claims                                                4,264     
    Membership                                                  121     
                                                                        
                              Portland, Oregon                          
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     364     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,067     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,250     
    Pension                                                     248     
    Pension Maintained                                          366     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          464     
    Miscellaneous                                                36     
    Death Compensation                                           46     
    Death Pension                                                49     
    Insurance                                                     3     
    Burial Allowances                                           224     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              4,118     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,322,626.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $32,212,838.00  
    Full Amount                                         $34,535,464.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         4,312     
    Power of Attorneys                                          659     
    Interviews                                                1,164     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  3,940     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                2,682     
    Membership                                                  140     
                                                                        
                         Philiadelphia, Pennsylvania                    
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     461     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,629     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,597     
    Pension                                                     369     
    Pension Maintained                                          400     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          392     
    Miscellaneous                                               112     
    Death Compensation                                           86     
    Death Pension                                               144     
    Insurance                                                   126     
    Burial Allowances                                           446     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              5,763     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,458,460.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $39,925,939.00  
    Full Amount                                         $42,384,399.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         6,114     
    Power of Attorneys                                        2,167     
    Interviews                                                2,616     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  4,642     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    5     
    New Claims                                                2,685     
    Membership                                                  174     
                                                                        
                         Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania                     
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                       0     
    Compensation Increased                                        0     
    Compensation Maintained                                       0     
    Pension                                                       0     
    Pension Maintained                                            0     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                            0     
    Miscellaneous                                                 0     
    Death Compensation                                            0     
    Death Pension                                                 0     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             0     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                  0     
    Total Monthly Increases                                      $0.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                                   $0.00  
    Full Amount                                                  $0.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                            99     
    Power of Attorneys                                           60     
    Interviews                                                  478     
    Rating Board Appearances                                     69     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  178     
    Membership                                                   19     
                                                                        
                          Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania                      
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     504     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,252     
    Compensation Maintained                                   2,716     
    Pension                                                     768     
    Pension Maintained                                        2,820     
    Social Security                                              19     
    Education Benefits                                          294     
    Miscellaneous                                               216     
    Death Compensation                                           98     
    Death Pension                                               870     
    Insurance                                                    10     
    Burial Allowances                                           237     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              9,804     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $4,507,762.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $61,614,777.00  
    Full Amount                                         $66,122,539.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         6,569     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,354     
    Interviews                                                2,279     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  3,803     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   50     
    New Claims                                                3,560     
    Membership                                                  506     
                                                                        
                          Providence, Rhode Island                      
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     270     
    Compensation Increased                                      613     
    Compensation Maintained                                     677     
    Pension                                                       6     
    Pension Maintained                                          331     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          189     
    Miscellaneous                                                 3     
    Death Compensation                                           33     
    Death Pension                                                59     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           139     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              2,383     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,191,836.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $19,517,610.00  
    Full Amount                                         $20,709,446.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         3,425     
    Power of Attorneys                                          588     
    Interviews                                                1,894     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  2,650     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   27     
    New Claims                                                  940     
    Membership                                                  167     
                                                                        
                          Columbia, South Carolina                      
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     341     
    Compensation Increased                                      712     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,194     
    Pension                                                     459     
    Pension Maintained                                          288     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          333     
    Miscellaneous                                                98     
    Death Compensation                                           43     
    Death Pension                                               139     
    Insurance                                                    51     
    Burial Allowances                                           220     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              3,878     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,853,254.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $27,135,107.00  
    Full Amount                                         $28,988,361.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         4,262     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,053     
    Interviews                                                1,885     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  2,540     
    Military Affairs                                             16     
    Social Security Activities                                    8     
    New Claims                                                1,790     
    Membership                                                  149     
                                                                        
                          Sioux Falls, South Dakota                     
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     165     
    Compensation Increased                                      312     
    Compensation Maintained                                     528     
    Pension                                                     110     
    Pension Maintained                                           88     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          388     
    Miscellaneous                                                31     
    Death Compensation                                           21     
    Death Pension                                                35     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                            59     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              1,737     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $805,065.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                           $9,248,432.56  
    Full Amount                                         $10,053,497.56  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         1,666     
    Power of Attorneys                                          328     
    Interviews                                                  570     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,220     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                1,135     
    Membership                                                   44     
                                                                        
                            Nashville, Tennessee                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     505     
    Compensation Increased                                      945     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,362     
    Pension                                                     457     
    Pension Maintained                                          141     
    Social Security                                               2     
    Education Benefits                                          420     
    Miscellaneous                                                55     
    Death Compensation                                           41     
    Death Pension                                                86     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           213     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              4,227     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,968,960.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $31,881,928.47  
    Full Amount                                         $33,850,888.47  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         3,458     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,069     
    Interviews                                                1,071     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  3,212     
    Military Affairs                                              1     
    Social Security Activities                                    2     
    New Claims                                                2,242     
    Membership                                                  123     
                                                                        
                                 Waco, Texas                            
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                   1,006     
    Compensation Increased                                    3,074     
    Compensation Maintained                                   3,301     
    Pension                                                     639     
    Pension Maintained                                          471     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          828     
    Miscellaneous                                               265     
    Death Compensation                                          272     
    Death Pension                                               133     
    Insurance                                                     2     
    Burial Allowances                                           836     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                             10,827     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $4,981,526.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $78,811,563.00  
    Full Amount                                         $83,793,089.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                        12,148     
    Power of Attorneys                                        4,077     
    Interviews                                                2,943     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  9,680     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    1     
    New Claims                                                5,041     
    Membership                                                  146     
                                                                        
                               Houston, Texas                           
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     673     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,105     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,805     
    Pension                                                     561     
    Pension Maintained                                        1,092     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          523     
    Miscellaneous                                                94     
    Death Compensation                                           73     
    Death Pension                                               521     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           293     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              6,741     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $3,068,597.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $41,534,884.00  
    Full Amount                                         $44,603,481.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         8,231     
    Power of Attorneys                                          597     
    Interviews                                                2,712     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  6,841     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    5     
    New Claims                                                1,239     
    Membership                                                  129     
                                                                        
                             San Antonio, Texas                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                       0     
    Compensation Increased                                        0     
    Compensation Maintained                                       0     
    Pension                                                       0     
    Pension Maintained                                            0     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                            0     
    Miscellaneous                                                 0     
    Death Compensation                                            0     
    Death Pension                                                 0     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             0     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                  232     
    Total Awards                                                233     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $355,668.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                           $4,687,707.00  
    Full Amount                                          $5,043,375.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                           391     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,193     
    Interviews                                                3,623     
    Rating Board Appearances                                    185     
    Military Affairs                                          1,213     
    Social Security Activities                                    3     
    New Claims                                                2,077     
    Membership                                                  144     
                                                                        
                            Salt Lake City, Utah                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     170     
    Compensation Increased                                      523     
    Compensation Maintained                                     523     
    Pension                                                     114     
    Pension Maintained                                           25     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          197     
    Miscellaneous                                                23     
    Death Compensation                                           20     
    Death Pension                                                19     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           126     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              1,741     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $964,516.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $11,801,566.00  
    Full Amount                                         $12,766,082.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         3,258     
    Power of Attorneys                                          405     
    Interviews                                                  956     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  2,049     
    Military Affairs                                            202     
    Social Security Activities                                    1     
    New Claims                                                  682     
    Membership                                                   96     
                                                                        
                        White River Junction, Vermont                   
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                      75     
    Compensation Increased                                      203     
    Compensation Maintained                                     274     
    Pension                                                      80     
    Pension Maintained                                           58     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                           51     
    Miscellaneous                                                22     
    Death Compensation                                           15     
    Death Pension                                                 1     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                            20     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                800     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $393,290.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                           $5,638,947.00  
    Full Amount                                          $6,032,237.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         2,777     
    Power of Attorneys                                          343     
    Interviews                                                2,306     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,512     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   22     
    New Claims                                                  948     
    Membership                                                   83     
                                                                        
                              Roanoke, Virginia                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     680     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,133     
    Compensation Maintained                                   2,132     
    Pension                                                     532     
    Pension Maintained                                          221     
    Social Security                                              18     
    Education Benefits                                        1,175     
    Miscellaneous                                                78     
    Death Compensation                                           65     
    Death Pension                                                58     
    Insurance                                                     1     
    Burial Allowance                                            243     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              6,336     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $3,841,251.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $49,255,639.00  
    Full Amount                                         $53,096,890.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                        10,912     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,406     
    Interviews                                                6,592     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  4,310     
    Military Affairs                                             18     
    Social Security Activities                                   31     
    New Claims                                                3,826     
    Membership                                                  182     
                                                                        
                             Seattle, Washington                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                   1,046     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,683     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,953     
    Pension                                                     274     
    Pension Maintained                                          103     
    Social Security                                               6     
    Education Benefits                                          904     
    Miscellaneous                                                30     
    Death Compensation                                           93     
    Death Pension                                                15     
    Insurance                                                     1     
    Burial Allowance                                            203     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              6,311     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $3,763,522.88  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $49,813,189.88  
    Full Amount                                         $53,576,712.76  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         4,518     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,670     
    Interviews                                                2,089     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  3,647     
    Military Affairs                                              1     
    Social Security Activities                                   37     
    New Claims                                                3,086     
    Membership                                                  158     
                                                                        
                          Huntington, West Virginia                     
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     114     
    Compensation Increased                                      363     
    Compensation Maintained                                     548     
    Pension                                                     241     
    Pension Maintained                                          184     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          168     
    Miscellaneous                                                57     
    Death Compensation                                           23     
    Death Pension                                                74     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowance                                            180     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              1,952     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $996,303.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $13,839,279.00  
    Full Amount                                         $14,835,582.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         2,445     
    Power of Attorneys                                          296     
    Interviews                                                1,275     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,869     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                1,085     
    Membership                                                   28     
                                                                        
                            Milwaukee, Wisconsin                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     461     
    Compensation Increased                                    1,376     
    Compensation Maintained                                   1,837     
    Pension                                                     350     
    Pension Maintained                                          360     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          606     
    Miscellaneous                                                71     
    Death Compensation                                           47     
    Death Pension                                               101     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowance                                            285     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              5,495     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $2,956,078.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $39,318,032.00  
    Full Amount                                         $42,274,110.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         7,492     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,173     
    Interviews                                                2,160     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  6,838     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                   13     
    New Claims                                                3,056     
    Membership                                                  231     
                                                                        
                              Cheyenne, Wyoming                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                      77     
    Compensation Increased                                      118     
    Compensation Maintained                                     144     
    Pension                                                      32     
    Pension Maintained                                            6     
    Social Security                                              00     
    Education Benefits                                           10     
    Miscellaneous                                                17     
    Death Compensation                                            6     
    Death Pension                                                 1     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                            35     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                446     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $241,763.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                           $3,995,050.00  
    Full Amount                                          $4,236,813.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                           544     
    Power of Attorneys                                           52     
    Interviews                                                  294     
    Rating Board Appearances                                    423     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  249     
    Membership                                                    5     
                                                                        
                            Wilmington, Delaware                        
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                      50     
    Compensation Increased                                      130     
    Compensation Maintained                                     144     
    Pension                                                      17     
    Pension Maintained                                           39     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                           63     
    Miscellaneous                                                 9     
    Death Compensation                                            9     
    Death Pension                                                 4     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                            47     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                512     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $239,620.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                           $3,225,212.50  
    Full Amount                                          $3,464,832.50  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         1,300     
    Power of Attorneys                                          107     
    Interviews                                                  534     
    Rating Board Appearances                                    728     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  424     
    Membership                                                    8     
                                                                        
                                Dallas, Texas                           
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                       0     
    Compensation Increased                                        0     
    Compensation Maintained                                       0     
    Pension                                                       0     
    Pension Maintained                                            0     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                            0     
    Miscellaneous                                                 0     
    Death Compensation                                            0     
    Death Pension                                                 0     
    Insurance                                                     2     
    Burial Allowances                                             0     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                  2     
    Total Monthly Increases                                 $10,000.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                              $10,000.00  
    Full Amount                                             $20,000.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                            37     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,098     
    Interviews                                                4,668     
    Rating Board Appearances                                      3     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    5     
    New Claims                                                1,410     
    Membership                                                   32     
                                                                        
                           Oklahoma City, Oklahoma                      
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                       0     
    Compensation Increased                                        0     
    Compensation Maintained                                       0     
    Pension                                                       0     
    Pension Maintained                                            0     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                            0     
    Miscellaneous                                                 0     
    Death Compensation                                            0     
    Death Pension                                                 0     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             0     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                  0     
    Total Monthly Increases                                      $0.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                                   $0.00  
    Full Amount                                                  $0.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                             0     
    Power of Attorneys                                          199     
    Interviews                                                3,406     
    Rating Board Appearances                                      0     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  386     
    Membership                                                   35     
                                                                        
                            San Diego, California                       
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                   1,522     
    Compensation Increased                                      797     
    Compensation Maintained                                     967     
    Pension                                                      76     
    Pension Maintained                                           85     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                        2,067     
    Miscellaneous                                               123     
    Death Compensation                                           46     
    Death Pension                                                 7     
    Insurance                                                    98     
    Burial Allowances                                           225     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                   36     
    Total Awards                                              6,049     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $3,183,505.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                           32,548,427.00  
    Full Amount                                         $35,731,932.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         7,437     
    Power of Attorneys                                        1,796     
    Interviews                                                5,284     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  4,359     
    Military Affairs                                          3,256     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                3,003     
    Membership                                                  143     
                                                                        
                                Reno, Nevada                            
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                     237     
    Compensation Increased                                      537     
    Compensation Maintained                                     680     
    Pension                                                     102     
    Pension Maintained                                           40     
    Social Security                                               1     
    Education Benefits                                          397     
    Miscellaneous                                                29     
    Death Compensation                                           33     
    Death Pension                                                 4     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                           111     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              2,171     
    Total Monthly Increases                                $899,808.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $12,137,513.00  
    Full Amount                                         $13,037,321.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                         1,629     
    Power of Attorneys                                          586     
    Interviews                                                1,277     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,399     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  869     
    Membership                                                   28     
                                                                        
                            San Juan, Puerto Rico                       
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                      49     
    Compensation Increased                                      219     
    Compensation Maintained                                     559     
    Pension                                                      75     
    Pension Maintained                                          103     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                          579     
    Miscellaneous                                                14     
    Death Compensation                                           31     
    Death Pension                                                 9     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             5     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                              1,643     
    Total Monthly Increases                              $1,130,023.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                          $13,811,773.00  
    Full Amount                                         $14,941,796.00  
    Va Files Reviewed                                         2,110     
    Power of Attorneys                                          199     
    Interviews                                                2,494     
    Rating Board Appearances                                  1,225     
    Military Affairs                                              0     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  128     
    Membership                                                   72     
                                                                        
                              Norfolk, Virginia                         
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                       0     
    Compensation Increased                                        0     
    Compensation Maintained                                       0     
    Pension                                                       0     
    Pension Maintained                                            0     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                            0     
    Miscellaneous                                                 0     
    Death Compensation                                            0     
    Death Pension                                                 0     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             0     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                  0     
    Total Monthly Increases                                      $0.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                                   $0.00  
    Full Amount                                                  $0.00  
    VA Files Reviewed                                            72     
    Power of Attorneys                                          741     
    Interviews                                                   72     
    Rating Board Appearances                                      0     
    Military Affairs                                          4,491     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                  918     
    Membership                                                   34     
                                                                        
                           NAS Miramar, San Diego                       
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                       0     
    Compensation Increased                                        0     
    Compensation Maintained                                       0     
    Pension                                                       0     
    Pension Maintained                                            0     
    Social Security                                               0     
    Education Benefits                                            0     
    Miscellaneous                                                 0     
    Death Compensation                                            0     
    Death Pension                                                 0     
    Insurance                                                     0     
    Burial Allowances                                             0     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                    0     
    Total Awards                                                  0     
    Total Monthly Increases                                      $0.00  
    Total Retroactive Payments                                   $0.00  
    Full Amount                                                  $0.00  
    Va Files Reviewed                                           210     
    Power of Attorneys                                          102     
    Interviews                                                  210     
    Rating Board Appearances                                      0     
    Military Affairs                                         50,486     
    Social Security Activities                                    0     
    New Claims                                                    2     
    Membership                                                    1     
                                                                        
                    Total National Service Office Report                
                                                                        
    New Service Connections                                  23,595     
    Compensation Increased                                   52,436     
    Compensation Maintained                                  69,701     
    Pension                                                  21,711     
    Pension Maintained                                       16,134     
    Social Security                                             141     
    Education Benefits                                       26,352     
    Miscellaneous                                             4,676     
    Death Compensation                                        3,606     
    Death Pension                                             7,140     
    Insurance                                                   566     
    Burial Allowances                                        13,030     
    Physical Evaluation Boards                                  399     
    Total Awards                                            239,487     
    Total Monthly Increases                            $124,740,005.66  
    Total Retroactive Payments                       $1,679,300,780.51  
    Full Amount                                      $1,804,040,786.17  
    Va Files Reviewed                                       299,300     
    Power of Attorneys                                       70,214     
    Interviews                                              141,173     
    Rating Board Appearances                                211,930     
    Military Affairs                                         64,848     
    Social Security Activities                                  806     
    New Claims                                              158,937     
    Membership                                                7,538     
                                                                        
                                                                        

    [The following written annual report was submitted by Mr. 
Bruce G. Nitsche, National Director of Voluntary Services.]

    National Commander Thomas A. McMasters, III, National Officers, 
Distinguished Guests and Delegates to the 75th national Convention of 
the Disabled American Veterans:

    ``It is better to give than to receive.'' Those words have struck a 
responsive chord in the hearts of good, kind, and loving people ever 
since biblical times.
    The man who put real meaning to that statement was Francis of 
Assisi, a man who was ready to put his money where his mouth was. 
Turning his back on the great wealth he stood to inherit from his 
father, he gave everything he owned to the poor and devoted the rest of 
his life to the needs of others.
    When his hour of death came, he suffered horribly, but he was 
enveloped by the love of many hundreds of people who had gathered to 
pay him their final tribute . . . people who believed that ``It is 
better to give than to receive''. . . people who would carry that 
phrase through the centuries that followed.
    St. Francis' admonition definitely rings in the hearts of the men 
and women who offer their love to the world through the volunteer 
programs of the Disabled American Veterans and the DAV Auxiliary. Their 
own volunteer action has proven how great the personal rewards can be 
when one gives of one's self.
    Even as the DAV celebrates its 76 years of service to America's 
disabled veterans and their families, we mark yet another anniversary 
that adds excitement to our festivities. That is the 50th anniversary 
of the DAV and Auxiliary involvement in the VA Voluntary Service 
Program.
    For 50 years now, the DAV and Auxiliary VAVS programs have become a 
vital force of compassion in the lives of the veterans who populate the 
wards of the VA.
    Today, as we celebrate the anniversaries of the DAV and our VAVS 
program, we really celebrate the wonderful people who have made our 
organization and its programs the envy of the veterans' community. 
Today, I'd like to take a moment to salute those members and everything 
they've accomplished during the year just past. Although this report 
focuses on the past year's successes, let's not stop the discussion 
there! While we can and should be proud of our past achievements, we 
must also look ahead. We must determine where the DAV and Auxiliary 
will find new volunteers to meet the growing needs of our veterans, 
particularly those who are aging. If you're not already in the ranks of 
our volunteers, we need you. We need your time, your sensitivities, 
your ideas, and your help in making certain that America's veterans get 
the care they deserve.
    As you consider your own possible future role in our volunteer 
effort, please remember that there are more than enough opportunities 
to go around--not only at VA medical centers but in the communities 
where veterans live. Think of the unused skills and talents in our 
membership ranks! Think of the services we could offer veterans if more 
of us became involved!
    The following program descriptions present statistics totaling the 
money spent, the hours donated, and the number of people who 
participate in our volunteer effort. But these figures can never fully 
represent the leadership and unselfish assistance provided by State 
VAVS Chairmen, Hospital Representatives, Deputies, and individual 
volunteers. No one can put a price on programs like transportation to 
medical treatment, direct patient care, entertainment, and recreational 
and sporting activities. No one can place a monetary value on doing for 
older veterans what they can no longer do for themselves. Nor could we 
place a dollar sign in front of the friendship one veteran extends to 
another . . . or the love an Auxiliary member holds out to a family 
much like her own. The statistics in this report merely measure what 
DAV members, DAV families, and DAV friends have done in accomplishing 
our organization's purpose. They cannot measure the gift our volunteers 
offer or the reward they receive in their own hearts.
     dav department of veterans affairs voluntary services program
    The DAV VAVS program is the largest of the DAV's volunteer 
initiatives. Through it, DAV volunteers provide a broad array of 
services to veterans in our nation's VA medical facilities. Under this 
program, 8,414 DAV VAVS volunteers donated 1,856,585 hours in the 12 
months ending March 31, 1996.
    With a group this large and the huge number of assignments they 
perform, you can imagine the extensive management effort that's carried 
out on a local level by 20 State Chairmen, 185 VAVS Representatives, 27 
Associate Representatives, 315 Deputy Representatives, and six 
Associate Deputy Representatives.
    The DAV Volunteer effort is enhanced by a very active corps of 
2,943 Auxiliary volunteers who donated 380,273 hours last year. 
Together, DAV and Auxiliary volunteers provided 2,236,858 hours of VAVS 
service over the past year--more than any other service organization. 
This is equivalent to the VA having an additional 1,100 full-time 
employees with an estimated value of $27,848,882 in hourly wages alone.
    VAVS monetary donations during 1995 totaled $2,923,160.06. Other 
hospital and service-related donations came to $9,516,809.52. This 
figure includes Department and Chapter expenditures on welfare and 
relief, as well as Hospital Service Coordinator and Department Service 
Officer programs. When you add the total Chapter and Department 
spending on volunteer programs to the estimated monetary value of the 
time donated by our volunteers, you get a total contribution in the 
range of $40 million--quite impressive by any standard!
    dav hospital service coordinator transportation network program
    Because so many sick and disabled veterans lack transportation to 
and from VA medical facilities for needed treatment, the DAV operates a 
nationwide Transportation Network. This program continues to show 
tremendous growth as an indispensable resource for veterans. Across the 
nation, 168 DAV Hospital Service Coordinators (HSCs) operate 190 active 
programs. They've recruited 5,006 volunteer drivers who logged 
17,907,663 miles last year, taking 480,753 veterans to and from VA 
medical facilities. Many of these veterans rode in vans the DAV donated 
to VA medical facilities for use in the Transportation Network. DAV 
Departments and Chapters, together with the National Organization, have 
now donated 556 vans to VA medical centers nationwide at a cost of 
$9,656,581.89.
    But DAV HSCs do more that coordinate transportation; they also help 
veterans file claims for VA benefits. HSCs have completed 72,433 VA 
claim forms, referring 24,818 veterans to DAV National Service Officers 
for professional benefits assistance. They've also conducted over 
385,000 telephone and personal interviews. DAV HSCs and VAVS volunteers 
form a hospital-based service program that thousands of veterans have 
come to know and trust for help whenever it's needed.
                 dav older veterans assistance program
    As with the American population as a whole, the fastest growing 
segment of the veteran population is the elderly. Today more than 8 
million veterans are over the age of 65. By 1999 that number is 
expected to peak at 9 million, representing 37 percent of the total 
population. For many of these veterans, these are days of loneliness, 
failing health, and economic hardship. They face growing needs in terms 
of finances, housing, nutrition, transportation, recreation, and more.
    The DAV Older Veterans Assistance Program was formed to help meet 
those needs. It's a community-based program, organized and run by local 
DAV and Auxiliary members through their Chapters and Units. To support 
that effort, the DAV's National Organization has provided $180,336 in 
grant assistance to DAV Chapters with active programs. Chapter 
volunteers help older veterans with everyday problems in obtaining 
basic life support items like food, shelter, clothing . . . maintaining 
a balanced diet . . . getting to the store or a doctor's appointment. 
In some communities DAV members even make home repairs, which can be as 
simple as replacing burned out light bulbs in ceiling fixtures that an 
older veteran can no longer reach or as extensive as building an 
entrance ramp to the front door for a veteran who can no longer 
negotiate the front steps.
                   the george h. seal memorial award
    The George H. Seal Memorial Award recognizes an outstanding DAV and 
Auxiliary VAVS volunteer each year, people whose volunteer activities 
closely reflect the values that characterized the life of the late 
National DAV VAVS Representative George Seal.
    During the 19 years since its inception, this award has become one 
of the most esteemed honors presented at the DAV's annual national 
convention. VA Medical Center Chiefs of Voluntary Services throughout 
the nation are each allowed to submit nominations for one DAV and one 
DAVA volunteer. These nominations submitted by VA medical centers 
throughout the nation are then thoroughly evaluated by an independent 
committee composed of well-known authorities in the field of voluntary 
service. The two volunteers selected by the committee receive an 
expense-paid trip to the DAV national convention for the award 
presentation. After reviewing the nominations of 91 DAV volunteers and 
54 Auxiliary volunteers, the committee chose as this year's winners:
    Tillman Rutledge.--A life member of DAV Chapter No. 5, Mr. Rutledge 
has been a volunteer at the Audie L. Murphy VA Medical Center (VAMC), 
San Antonio, Texas for 20 years with over 25,500 hours of service. He 
volunteers for the Chaplain, Recreation Therapy, and Voluntary 
Services. The Chiefs of these three services are extremely confident in 
Mr. Rutledge's invaluable service and support in managing their 
programs. He recruits, trains, and monitors volunteers' activities 
throughout the state of Texas and specifically at the VAMC. He ensures 
that volunteer programs are carried out in keeping with hospital and 
organization policies.
    Mr. Rutledge is currently serving in his third year as DAV 
Department of Texas VAVS Chairman. During this period he has improved 
the reporting of volunteer hours throughout Texas. The effect of these 
improvements is that volunteers are now receiving their earned 
recognition from the National Organization.
    His volunteer service does not stop at the hospital--he also serves 
as the DAV Benefits Protection Team Leader for the DAV Department of 
Texas. In this volunteer position, Mr. Rutledge has been the driving 
force behind the Benefits Protection Program in the state.
    As a VAVS volunteer, Mr. Rutledge goes the extra mile by assisting 
with any special project or activity in the hospital apart from his 
assigned duties, anything from a special event to a routine errand or 
answering the phone. What is most appreciated is that he performs all 
of his duties with joy and as if they were the most important functions 
in the hospital. He is not a person who responds negatively to any 
request. The only concern that the VA employees have concerning Mr. 
Rutledge is that he will do too much because he is so capable and 
willing. As the DAV State Commander puts it . . . ``Tillman will 
undertake anything asked of him. He does not know the word ``NO;'' it 
is not in his vocabulary. He will do anything he can to make matters 
better for his fellow veterans. Not only does Mr. Rutledge volunteer at 
this facility, but also at Willford Hall Air Force Hospital.
    Mr. Rutledge saw a need for notary services for patients. Out of 
his own pocket and concern he became a notary public, and provides that 
service free of charge to patients and their families. He is often 
called at home, sometimes late at night to notarize wills and other 
documents.
    A former POW, Mr. Rutledge has dedicated his life to helping his 
fellow man, specifically veterans. This in itself is noteworthy 
considering he was put through tremendous personal pain and disgrace at 
the hands of a foreign force. It would have been easy for Mr. Rutledge, 
upon his return from the POW experience, to try to wash away the 
unpleasant memories and years of torture by staying as far away as 
possible from the military and veterans. But that is not his way.
    His supervisors describe Mr. Rutledge as . . . ``singularly 
superb--absolutely outstanding . . . an inspiration . . . epitomizes 
volunteerism at its best and is a credit to the DAV . . . serves the 
veteran, his fellow volunteers and the South Texas Veterans Health Care 
System with distinction.''
    Dorothy Marie Waters.--A life member of DAV Auxiliary Unit No. 83 
and a regularly scheduled volunteer at the North Chicago, IL VA Medical 
Center in the areas of Community Affairs (Voluntary Service), Medical 
Administration Service, and Chaplain Service. As of January 1996, Mrs. 
Waters has 43 years of service and 32,000 hours as a volunteer, and she 
takes great pride in whatever she is called upon to do. As a front door 
greeter to patients and guests, she is a role model in the VAMC's 
``Goodwill Ambassador'' program for other volunteers, VAVS 
Representatives and even VA staff members. Arriving each morning at 
4:30 a.m., she prepares the coffee and refreshments for fellow 
volunteers and logs them in for their assignment areas. Her cheerful 
nature starts everyone's day on a happy note and a wish for a good day.
    At 82 years young and in excellent helath, she drives 20 miles each 
way to the VAMC, with the often inclement Chicago weather not deterring 
her in the slightest. Her volunteer assignment is between 4:30 a.m. and 
3:00 p.m., averaging 52.5 hours per week. Unselfishly assuming her 
volunteer work responsibilities above and beyond the call of duty. Due 
to the expanded role of the voluntary service department, which 
includes public affairs, media support, and information services, she 
is often called upon to assist with projects on a moment's notice. Her 
accomplishments and contributions to the VAMC testify to Mrs. Waters as 
a special individual who brings quality and integrity to the meaning of 
volunteer service. She is described as one who has ``truly answered the 
call!''
    The selection committee once again stated that all of the nominees 
are very special volunteers. Each nominee has been awarded a 
certificate of merit for outstanding volunteer performance in meeting 
the needs of hospitalized veterans.
                        sports for the disabled
    Athletic programs for handicapped veterans have always been 
important to the DAV. We have a history of leadership in efforts that 
encourage athletic activity among disabled veterans of all ages. 
Working together with the VA, DAV leaders are committed to providing 
these men and women with opportunities to participate in sports which 
many thought would not be possible with their disabilities.
    The Veterans' Advisory Committee on Rehabilitation previously cited 
a study in which Kathy Stokes, Ph.D., reported that ``the health care 
needs of those not involved in sports activities were three times 
higher than those involved in some type of sporting program.'' Modern 
Healthcare Magazine states that sports offer a better quality of life, 
improved self-confidence and self-esteem, and a way for many newly 
disabled people to adjust to their handicaps. Athletic activity 
provides a new and very necessary social outlet, while improving 
physical endurance and maintaining physical fitness.
    More and more, doctors recognize it's not enough to stabilize 
patients medically and send them home. Without an introduction to 
sports or recreation, the hospital will see that person again and 
again. Disabled people involved in sports generally encounter fewer 
medical problems than those who aren't, therapists say. Athletics 
maintain cardiovascular conditioning, increase circulation to the 
extremities, and help avert skin breakdowns. Another advantage is that 
sports are community-based rather than hospital-based undertakings. The 
DAV believes disabled veterans should have the same opportunity to 
participate in these activities as those who aren't handicapped.
    The DAV National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic.--In March, 
more than 240 disabled veterans from 38 states took part in the 10th 
National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic at Crested Butte, 
Colorado. With more than 500 volunteers--including 147 ski instructors, 
most of whom are certified in teaching the disabled--it was the largest 
and best Winter Sports Clinic ever conducted. An annual event sponsored 
jointly by the DAV and VA, the clinic is open to veterans with visual 
impairments, spinal-cord injuries, certain neurological conditions, 
orthopedic amputations, or other severe disabilities. Veterans disabled 
in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War, and Bosnia were 
represented. Our sponsors this year were:
          National: Lockheed Martin; Prince Bandar bin Sultan; Sprint.
          Gold: American Express Company; Baxter Healthcare 
        Corporation; Bayer Corporation; The Coca-Cola Company; Johnson 
        & Johnson Health Care Systems. Inc.; Milbank; Memorial Fund; 
        PaineWebber.
          Silver: American Country Countdown with Bob Kingsley; DAV-
        California Rehabilitation Foundation, Inc.; DAV-Department of 
        Colorado; Zachary and Elizabeth Fisher; General Electric 
        Medical Systems; London International U.S. Holdings, Inc.; 
        McGaw, Inc.; The Rex Foundation; Roho, Inc. and Crown 
        Therapeutics, Inc.; Schiff, Kreidler-Shell, Inc.; Science 
        Applications International Corporation (SAIC); 3M; Zeneca 
        Pharmaceuticals.
          Bronze: Advanced Prosthetics & Orthotics, Inc.; AMSUS-
        Sustaining Members; AT&T Wireless Services; C.R. Bard, Inc.; 
        Dickstein, Shapiro & Morin, L.L.P.; Evian; Federal Practitioner 
        John, Cathy, Timothy, and Taffney Fischer; Flex-Foot, Inc.; 
        Genentech, Inc.; Hoechst Marion Roussel; Kuschall of America; 
        Eli Lilly and Company; Marsam/Schein Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; 
        Oakley; Orthotics & Prosthetics National Office; Pfizer, Inc.; 
        Piper & Marbury, L.L.P.; Radventures, Inc.; SmithKline Beecham 
        Pharmaceuticals; SSDS, Inc.; Vietnam Veterans of America, Inc., 
        Chapter #57.
    Using the theme of ``Changing Lives,'' the clinic promotes 
rehabilitation by helping physically disabled veterans develop sports 
skills through a wide variety of adaptive workshops. With assistance 
from hundreds of volunteers, the clinic breaks down physical and 
emotional barriers that could otherwise block participation in these 
sports. It allows the veterans to regain lost self-confidence and find 
their own limits. The workshops focus on such sports skills as downhill 
and cross-country skiing, wheelchair basketball, scuba diving, 
wheelchair self-defense, golf, and snowmobiling.
                           dav freedom award
    Four years ago we instituted the DAV Freedom Ward at the National 
Disabled Veterans Winter Sport Clinic. It is given each year to the 
veteran who makes the most progress during the week, showing 
outstanding courage and accomplishments in taking a giant step forward 
in his or her rehabilitation process. This annual award is sponsored by 
His Royal Highness Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Ambassador of Saudi 
Arabia. The award's inscription reads: ``Your accomplishments during 
the . . . DAV National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic have 
proved to the world that physical disability does not bar the doors to 
freedom. We salute your desire to excel so that others may follow.'' 
The 1996 recipient was Martin Begosh of Rockville, Maryland.
    A first-time Clinic participant, Mr. Martin Begosh was performing 
missions in Bosnia when the military Humvee he was driving hit a land 
mine and was destroyed. Two fellow soldiers were uninjured, but Mr. 
Begosh's right foot, ankle, and leg were shattered. As he scrambled 
from the wreckage, he fell on another land mine. Fortunately this one 
was an anti-vehicle land mine and did not detonate. ``I'm not sure 
whether I'll lose my foot or not said Mr. Begosh. ``But I don't worry 
about that. Considering everything involved with my accident, I realize 
it could have been much worse. I'm really just happy to be alive.'' 
Although Mr. Begosh's leg was still in a cast and he faced many months 
of extensive surgery when he went to the clinic, he still attended the 
different activities and had an incredible time. ``I had no idea what 
to expect from the clinic.'' he said. ``People said it would be a fun 
time, but I had no idea it would be as fun as it is!'' He has already 
snowmobiled, cross-country skied, and even tried the bi-ski. (All this 
from a man who's doctor's instructed him to ``take it easy.'') When he 
wasn't tearing up the slopes, he could be found soaking up some sun and 
meeting as many people as possible. ``Everybody here has really 
motivated and inspired me,'' he said. ``Everywhere you go, guys are 
giving it their all. No matter what their disability, they're not 
stopping--they're not giving up. I'm really awed by the whole 
experience.''
    Mr. Begosh is modest about his experience in Bosnia and disagree 
with those who consider him a hero. ``Some people say I'm a hero just 
because I went to Bosnia and got my foot blown up,'' he said. ``I don't 
see why I'm a hero, I volunteered to go over there, fully aware of the 
risk factors, and I didn't let that hamper my mission. I'm no braver 
than any other soldier who is still over there.''
    For Bosnia vet Mr. Begosh, he has been given a second chance at 
life and he plans to live each day to its fullest. At only 23, he has 
already learned how fragile life can be. Mr. Begosh's plans for the 
future are relatively simple: to stay in good spirits, to work at his 
recovery, and to do his best to be a good role model for others. ``My 
accident has really woken me up and shown me how fragile life can be. I 
haven't done half the things in life that I want to do. In a way, I 
feel like I've been given a second chance, so I'm going to make sure 
that I slow down, enjoy life and, in a sense--live a little.''
    Golf for the Disabled.-- Golf is one of the fastest growing and 
most popular sports in America, perhaps in the world. Recognizing this 
fact, the DAV and DAV Charitable Service Trust support two golf 
programs that promote rehabitation and a more active lifestyle for 
disabled veterans:
    National Amputee Gold Open Championships-- The DAV National 
Commander's Trophy honors the disabled veteran who puts in the best 
overall performance at the National Amputee Golf Association (NAGA) 
championship tournament. Additionally, it recognizes the contributions 
the winner has made in his or her own community in furthering the 
opportunities of disabled individuals. Last year's 47th annual 
tournament in Tenley Park, Illinois, August 15-17, 1995, drew 110 
entries, at least 50% of them veterans. The winner of the DAV trophy 
was Stuart A.M. Reeder, a combat-disabled Vietnam veteran who lost both 
legs in an enemy mine explosion and plays golf from a wheelchair. Mr. 
Reeder works with other trauma victims attempting to serve as a 
positive influence in their lives. He conducts motivational lectures 
several times a year at high schools near his home and organized a work 
group for accessibility at the Mid-Tennessee Diocese of the Episcopal 
Church. An active member of the Southern States Amputee Golf 
Association and NAGA, he also serves as an instructor at adaptive golf 
clinics and actively encouraged the production of ``Fore'' Wheel Gold, 
a program promoting golf for all disabled persons.
    First Swing Golf.-- This is the DAV's eighth year of involvement 
with the ``First Swing'' instructional golf program for the disabled. 
With support from the DAV Charitable Service Trust, this program 
provides therapists throughout the country with instruction on the 
rehabilitation benefits of golf. Use of golf therapy at hospitals and 
rehabilitation centers has brought the game back into the lives of many 
who played prior to becoming disabled. It has also introduced the sport 
to countless handicapped people who never dreamed golf would be part of 
their lives. During 1995, 28 First Swing seminars and Learn to Golf 
clinics were conducted. Participants included 451 therapists; 532 
physically challenged people, 123 of whom were disabled veterans; 98 
professional golfers; and 342 others.
                  dav celebrity entertainment program
    Continuing to provide a morale boost to hospitalized veterans, the 
DAV Celebrity Entertainment Program assures these patients that they're 
not forgotten* * *that the American people still appreciate what 
they've done for all of us.
    We're truly fortunate to sponsor some very talented people with a 
great deal of compassion for those veterans, so many of whom face long 
and lonely stays in hospitals, often far from family and friends. 
Making more than 100 hospital visits last year alone, these wonderful 
people include country singer, composer, and entertainer Travis Tritt; 
Kevin Dobson, actor/director of television and motion pictures; 
television/film actor Barry Corbin; American Country Countdown Host Bob 
Kingsley; and Major League Baseball Umpires Larry Barnett and Eddie 
Montague. The DAV is indeed honored that such outstanding celebrities 
want to be a part of the DAV Voluntary Service Program. We recognize 
the enormous demands they face, and we appreciate the gift of their 
valuable time. They've demonstrated that they care very deeply about 
the needs of disabled veterans.
                               in closing
    It's been a tremendous year for DAV volunteer programs, and many 
deserve our thanks. They include DAV and Auxiliary National Commanders 
Thomas A. McMasters, III and Barbara L. Hicks, National Officers and 
staff of the DAV and its Auxiliary, the staff of National Service and 
Legislative Headquarters led by Executive Director David W. Gorman, and 
the staff at National Headquarters in Cincinnati led by Executive 
Director Richard E. Patterson. Special thanks go to National Adjutant 
Arthur H. Wilson for his leadership and dedication to service for all 
disabled veterans. My personal thanks to Executive Secretary Linda 
DeMartino. Over and again, we've gained invaluable help from our DAV 
National Service Officers, Hospital Service Coordinators, and VAVS 
leadership teams across the nation. I cannot forget Jim Delgado, who 
heads up the VA Voluntary Service program and his assistant Jim Mayer. 
And the assistance of the DAV Charitable Service Trust was an essential 
ingredient of our 1995 success story.
    Last to be mentioned are most important, the members of the 
volunteer corps fielded by the DAV and Auxiliary. As has often been 
said, ``There is no higher distinction than service to others.'' And 
there are none more distinguished than the men and women who are out 
there right now, working to bring the comfort of love and the joy of 
life to our nation's disabled veterans and their families. Thank you.)

    [The following written annual report was submitted by Mr. 
Ronald W. Drach, National Employment Director:]

    National Commander McMasters, Distinguished Guests and Delegates to 
our 75th National Convention:

    I am honored and privileged to submit to the delegates at our 75th 
National Convention my annual report as your National Employment 
Director and provide you with an overview of the various activities of 
this department during the past year.
    I would like to express my deepest appreciation to National 
Commander Thomas A. McMasters, III and his line officers for their 
support and cooperation. Commander McMasters' leadership has been 
extremely valuable. Additionally, National Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson 
has been a strong ally of the employment programs, and I thank him for 
his support. I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate 
David W. Gorman on his appointment as Executive Director, Washington 
Headquarters and thank him for his support and leadership.
    Our National Service Officers (NSOs) are unequaled in their skill 
and ability to provide representation to our nation's disabled veterans 
and their dependents. The NSOs' hard work helps ensure that our 
nation's service-connected disabled veterans and their dependents 
receive all of their employment rights and benefits. Those rights and 
benefits include veterans' preference, affirmative action laws for 
service-connected disabled veterans and regulations and employment-
related programs serving homeless veterans.
    The National Employment Department works very closely with National 
Service Director Kenneth D. Wolfe, National Legislative Director 
Richard F. Schultz, National Director of Voluntary Services Bruce G. 
Nitsche, and National Director of Communications Thomas K. Keller and 
their respective staffs.
    I would be remiss if I did not thank National Auxiliary Commander 
Barbara Hicks and National Auxiliary Adjutant Maria Tedrow. Both have 
provided strong leadership and always respond to our requests for help.
    A special thanks is in order to all workers and volunteers at the 
department and chapter level and individual DAV members who work so 
hard to make all of our programs work.
    The National Employment Department handles employment-related 
legislative and oversight issues with particular emphasis on service-
connected disabled veterans. As Director, I am responsible for 
monitoring several agencies and pending legislation. I work with the 
Executive branch and the Congress in program development and oversight.
    As a registered lobbyist I appeared before Congress five times 
since our last National Convention and worked closely with the National 
Legislative staff as they appeared before Congress on issues affecting 
veterans' benefits and programs.
    Since our last convention, I have appeared before committees of 
Congress on issues relating to consolidation of employment and training 
programs; vocational rehabilitation; small business initiatives; 
programs for homeless veterans; reemployment rights; transition 
assistance; and several times on veterans' preference. I have been 
working closely with the members and staffs of the Subcommittee on 
Education, Employment, and Training of the House Veterans' Affairs 
Committee and the Subcommittee on Civil Service of the House Committee 
on Government Reform and Oversight to develop a meaningful complaint/
appeal mechanism for veterans who believe veterans' preference or 
affirmative action has been violated. Our major emphasis is always on 
the service-connected disabled veteran.
    Last year, I reported to you on some of the issues relating to the 
U.S. Postal Service's (USPS) reduction-in-force. I have had an 
opportunity to meet with senior White House officials on the USPS 
problems, which resulted in establishing the White House Veterans 
Interagency Policy Group. At the initial meeting with White House 
staff, a written document was presented outlining many of the major 
concerns of the DAV. There have been several follow-up meetings with 
senior White House officials to update them on many of these issues.
    I oversee various employment issues with the Department of Labor 
(DOL), Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the U.S. Postal Service, 
the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities 
(PCEPD), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Small 
Business Administration (SBA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA).
                              dav programs
    During the past 12 months I worked closely with National Adjutant 
Arthur H. Wilson, Executive Director David W. Gorman, National Service 
Director Kenneth D. Wolfe and the entire National Service Department as 
we participated, to the fullest extent possible, in the Transition 
Assistance Program (TAP) and the Disabled Transition Assistance Program 
(DTAP).
    TAP and DTAP are joint cooperative efforts among the DOL, 
Department of Defense (DoD) and the VA to provide information and 
services to active duty military personnel who are within 180 days of 
discharge to ensure a smooth transition from military to civilian life. 
Services include employment information as well as assistance in 
developing job-finding skills, including interviewing techniques and 
resume preparation.
    Many of our offices participated in TAP/DTAP briefings at various 
military installations. Our National Service Officers had contact with 
over 93,000 separating military personnel over the period January 1, 
1995 to December 31, 1995. Of those, 84,655 were male and 8,838 were 
female. We assisted in filing 72,842 claims for VA disability 
compensation benefits. Of major concern is how close to discharge these 
individuals are prior to attending the TAP session. The law requires 
separating service members to attend these sessions 180 days prior to 
discharge. According to our reports:
          40,815 are within one month of being discharged;
          23,835 are within two to three months of being discharged;
          18,579 are within four to six months of being discharged; and
          10,528 are within six months or more of being discharged.
                              dol programs
    DOL programs for veterans are administered by the Veterans' 
Employment and Training Service (VETS).
    Heading VETS is Assistant Secretary of Labor Preston Taylor, who 
was appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by the Senate. The DAV 
has enjoyed a positive, open communication with his office.
    Programs under VETS include Veterans' Reemployment Rights (VRR) and 
Title IVc of the Job Training Partnership Act (JTPA). VETS also 
provides grants to states to employ Local Veterans' Employment 
Representatives (LVERs) and operate the Disabled contract basis, 
funding for the National Veterans' Training Institute (NVTI).
    I reported last year that the members of the Congressionally 
mandated Advisory Committee on Veterans' Employment and Training 
(ACVET) were at last appointed by Labor Secretary Robert B. Reich in 
November 1994, and the first meeting was convened in December 1994. 
Secretary Reich asked and I agreed to serve as Chairman of the Advisory 
Committee. The Committee has met several times since then to discuss 
major employment and training issues as they affect our nation's 
veterans. The major purpose of ACVET is to advise the Secretary of 
Labor on employment and training issues relating to veterans. ACVET 
members are in the process of planning a national veterans' employment 
forum for later this year.
    The forum will focus on veterans' employment issues relative to 
private sector, federal government, and state and local government 
employment. The participants will be asked to come up with issues and 
solutions to advance employment opportunities for veterans. There will 
be special emphasis on service-connected disabled veterans.
                              va programs
    Our department is involved in several VA activities--the agency's 
personnel policies as they relate to employment of disabled veterans 
and the Vocational Rehabilitation program. I chair the Secretary's 
Advisory Committee on Rehabilitation, which was established by law in 
1980 to advise the Secretary on issues affecting all VA rehabilitation 
programs.
    In May 1995, the Subcommittee on Education, Employment and Training 
held an oversight hearing to discuss how well the Department of Labor's 
DVOPs were working with the VA's Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to 
assure quality job placement was occurring for those service-connected 
disabled veterans completing training under vocational rehabilitation. 
The results of the hearing revealed that little cooperation was ongoing 
between the two agencies and they were put on notice to work closer 
together to improve employment services.
    As a result, the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling 
established a ``Design Team'' and ``Steering Committee'' to review how 
the VA provides those services and make recommendations for meaningful 
change. The Director of Vocational Rehabilitation and Counseling asked 
me in February of this year to serve on the Steering Committee. The 
final report was provided to the Steering Committee during the week of 
June 10, 1996.
    On a separate track, the Department of Labor developed a new 
training module through the National Veterans' Training Institute 
(NVTI) in Colorado to provide training, particularly to disabled 
veterans outreach program specialists (DVOPs), to deal with the unique 
problems many of the vocational rehabilitation clients have. I assisted 
in the development and assessment of the curriculum. We will be 
monitoring the ongoing development and implementation of these new 
initiatives to ensure that disabled veterans under vocational 
rehabilitation actually obtain meaningful employment consistent with 
their training.
                              opm programs
    The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is responsible for 
enforcing the veterans' preference provisions of Title 5, USC. It is 
also responsible for administering affirmative action mandated by 
Section 4214, Title 38, USC, and the Veterans' Readjustment Appointment 
(VRA) authority.
    OPM has delegated most hiring authority to individual federal 
agencies. Consequently, each agency hiring site has the flexibility to 
circumvent, intentionally or unintentionally, veterans' preference. In 
response, we have been working closely with OPM staff and meet with 
them at least quarterly regarding this and other issues of concern to 
veterans.
    Congress and the Clinton Administration are reviewing the Office of 
Personnel Management with a view towards streamlining and reinventing 
programs. We are watching these proposals, and will be vigilant to 
assure any changes result in positive actions on veterans' preference.
    The House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Education, Employment 
and Training and the House Subcommittee on Civil Service have held 
hearings on veterans' preference with a specific reference to ``appeal 
rights'' for those preference eligibles who believe their rights may 
have been violated. DAV had significant discussions and input with 
staff of these committees and on June 6, 1996, a bill was introduced 
proposing positive changes to veterans' preference to include an appeal 
process. We are optimistic that positive action will happen during this 
session of Congress.
    Additionally, legislation has been introduced at the request of the 
Administration to modify the Civil Service system. Within that 
proposal, veterans' preference will remain intact. We will monitor the 
progress of this legislation to be sure that veterans' preference is 
not weakened and, hopefully, actually strengthened.
    In addition, we routinely receive inquiries from service-connected 
disabled veterans who are seeking federal employment. Many veterans 
inquire about employment opportunities, veterans' preference, and the 
Veterans' Readjustment Appointment (VRA) Authority. They also want to 
know their rights and remedies under federal employment laws.
    We respond by providing technical information and referring 
veterans to the appropriate DAV National Service Office for assistance. 
We also answer inquiries regarding dual compensation, retirement and 
health issues, federal employee's compensation for work-related 
injuries, transfers and promotions.
    For the past several years, we have worked with OPM and other 
federal agencies in developing a disabled veteran workshop to be 
conducted during a national symposium on employment opportunities for 
people with disabilities.
                      u.s. postal service programs
    We continue to receive complaints about the agency's employment 
practices from our NSOs, service-connected disabled veterans and 
others.
    These complaints tend to reflect USPS' discriminatory practices and 
a lack of knowledge of veterans' laws. We initially try to resolve 
these complaints informally, a strategy that has proved successful. At 
other times we advise the veteran to file an Equal Employment 
Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint or appeal to the Merit Systems 
Protection Board (MSPB). the USPS is now attempting to implement the 
MSPB rulings which found the USPS ``reorganization'' violated veterans' 
reduction-in-force protections. We anticipate problems as the USPS 
appears to have taken short cuts in establishing a ``compliance RIF 
register.'' We are concerned that more RIF violations may occur, and 
will continue to monitor that effort. Postal officials in the 
Postmaster General's office recently agreed to meet with us on an 
ongoing basis to discuss this and other issues.
                  small business administration (sba)
    We continue to hold discussions with the SBA on providing direct 
loan assistance to veterans who wish to start their own business. We 
support direct loans for business start-ups, but we also believe that 
``set-asides'' in the federal government contracting and procurement 
process must be made available to service-connected disabled veteran-
owned businesses. The set-aside would be similar to that currently 
provided under the 8a Program for minority-owned businesses.
    We receive and respond to inquiries from service-connected disabled 
veterans interested in starting their own business or getting federal 
contracts for existing veteran-owned businesses.
    Assistance to veterans seeking business start-up aid includes 
putting them in touch with the local SBA office, which as a veterans' 
affairs officer. Many veterans do not understand that the SBA does not 
offer direct loans, but they can obtain information and advice through 
the veterans' affairs officers on the agency's loan guaranty process.
    Many service-connected disabled veterans business owners vying for 
federal contracts are sometimes surprised to learn that they are not 
eligible as ``8a contractors'' or any other special consideration. 
Certain minority-owned businesses that receive special consideration 
for contracts with federal departments and agencies are considered ``8a 
contractors.'' These contracts are generally known as ``set-asides'' 
and are available to minority-owned businesses and are not let through 
the normal competitive process.
    We advise those veterans that the DAV is working with the 
appropriate committees in Congress to establish a separate set-aside 
program for service-connected disabled veteran-owned businesses as well 
as a separate business loan program within the VA.
        equal employment opportunity commission (eeoc) programs
    The EEOC is the final administrative authority on all disability 
employment discrimination cases filed against federal departments and 
agencies. Under current legislation, disabled veterans are not 
specifically identified as a covered group protected by anti-
discrimination laws. However, if a disabled veteran meets the statutory 
definition of a person with a disability (most disabled veterans will 
meet that definition) and if any such disabled veteran believes he or 
she has been discriminated against, a complaint may be filed through 
the equal employment opportunity process.
    Under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the EEOC 
receives, investigates and prosecutes disability civil rights 
complaints against nonfederal employees. We advise disabled veterans of 
their rights under that process.
                            other activities
    We monitor the aforementioned agencies' activities and programs, 
the Congressional Record, Federal Register and a myriad of other 
publications to keep abreast of changing laws, regulations and policies 
regarding disabled veterans. When appropriate, we respond to proposed 
regulations that may impact on veterans' employment and training 
programs.
    When significant legislative, regulatory or policy changes are 
announced by these agencies, we notify our NSOs through bi-monthly 
Employment Bulletins and special reports. The DAV Magazine also reports 
on activities of the Employment Department.
                         nongovernment programs
    We have been involved with numerous nongovernment entities 
interested in employment and training programs. These include the 
Interstate Conference of Employment Security Agencies, International 
Association of Personnel in Employment Security, National Organization 
on Disability. National Rehabilitation Association, and the Society for 
Human Resource Management (formerly the American Society of Personnel 
Administration).
    In conclusion, I want to again thank everyone for their support and 
encouragement.

    [The following annual written report was submitted by Mr. 
Richard F. Schultz, National Legislative Director:]

    National Commander Thomas A. McMasters III, Distinguished Guests 
and Delegates to This 75th National Convention:
    As your National Legislative Director, it is indeed a great 
privilege and honor to present the annual report of the National 
Legislative Department to the 75th National Convention of the Disabled 
American Veterans.
    At the outset, I wish to express my deep gratitude to Commander 
Thomas A. McMasters III, and National Adjutant Arthur H. Wilson for 
their unwavering support and leadership. As a result of their 
collective efforts, the DAV has continued to renew itself and its 
commitment to provide the very best possible service to our membership 
and to all our nation's 2.2 million service-connected disabled 
veterans, their dependents and survivors.
    I also wish to personally thank former Deputy National Legislative 
Director, now Executive Director of Washington Headquarters, David W. 
Gorman, for his outstanding work, while a member of the National 
Legislative Staff. I know that David will continue his excellent work 
on behalf of America's service-connected disabled veterans in his new 
position. I also wish to thank Legislative Counsel Joseph A. Violante 
and Assistant National Legislative Director Rick Surratt, as well as 
Lennox E. Gilmer who served as Associate National Legislative Director 
before accepting his current duties as a Judicial Appeals 
Representative. Clearly, their dedication to the principles of the DAV 
has touched the lives of countless service-connected disabled veterans, 
their dependents and survivors. I am very proud to be associated with 
these dedicated veterans' advocates. Finally, I thank the DAV's 
National Service Officers, whose support and dedication to service has 
greatly enhanced our efforts here in our nation's capital.
    Although 1995/1996 was not so productive in terms of new 
legislation for service-connected disabled veterans, it was a 
successful year in terms of our grassroots efforts. We prevented the 
introduction of many proposals to cut, reduce or terminate veterans' 
benefits into the 104th Congress (1995-1996). This was due in large 
measure to quick action by DAV and DAV Auxiliary members and their 
families, who contacted their elected officials to express their 
opposition to these proposals. Grassroots efforts stopped the provision 
to terminate disability compensation to certain mentally incompetent 
veterans from the VA appropriation bill (H.R. 2099). Those efforts also 
resulted in clarification that a lobbying reform measure (H.R. 2564) 
would not adversely affect the office space DAV and other veterans' 
service organization (VSOs) receive from VA. Accordingly, I would like 
to take this opportunity to personally thank all DAV and DAV Auxiliary 
members for their grassroots efforts in support of the National 
Legislative Department, especially the members of DAV's Benefit 
Protection Team.
    I am extremely proud of the work being done by the Benefit 
Protection Team leaders and their teams. Their efforts on behalf of the 
National Legislative staff is greatly appreciated and, in fact, it has 
been one of the main reasons for the success of our grassroots efforts. 
I commend their dedication to that work and look forward to working 
with them in the future on issues affecting service-connected disabled 
veterans.
    This past year has been a very trying year, one in which the 
legislative staff has had to rely heavily upon the grassroots efforts 
of the members of the DAV and its Auxiliary to combat the direct 
attacks upon the benefits and services earned by service-connected 
disabled veterans in service to our country and administered through 
the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). We commemorated the 50th 
Anniversary of the end of World War II in September 1995, a war that 
demonstrated America's unprecedented ability to carry out and win a war 
on two fronts, in Europe and in the Pacific. During the past year, we 
found those same heroic veterans of World War II and their fellow 
veterans embroiled in another war on two fronts. The first front 
involved adequate funding for the integrity of VA programs, benefits, 
and services. On the second front, the VSOs were subjected to 
unprecedented attacks that threatened irreparable harm to their ability 
to represent veterans in their claims for VA benefits and services and 
as veterans' advocates before Congress.
    I have often said it before: No matter how just our cause, we have 
nothing without the support of the caring, dedicated members of the DAV 
and Auxiliary. But with those members, we are capable of protecting and 
seeking meaningful improvements in the federal benefits and services 
earned as a result of our sacrifices in defense of America. They give 
us the ability to withstand the attacks against veterans' benefits. 
They are responsible for our ability to represent veterans and advocate 
on their behalf. This is the true measure of their dedication and their 
drive.
    I caution, however, that we cannot rest on our laurels. Past 
accomplishments can lull us into a false sense of security. Therefore, 
we must be ever vigilant, redoubling our resolve to ensure that VA 
receives adequate funding for its services and programs.
    The President has submitted his Fiscal Year 1997 through 2002 
budget proposal to Congress. In turn, the Congress has adopted a 6-year 
budget plan which differs from the President's. Significant changes to 
the President's budget plan by Congress for veterans programs include:
          Increasing the Montgomery GI Bill $5.00 per month;
          Allowing surviving spouse to retain the veteran's 
        compensation pro rated to date of death instead of the month 
        before veteran died;
          Increasing from one year to two years the period of time for 
        which past due benefits payments can be paid to a surviving 
        spouse in cases where the veteran dies while awaiting the 
        processing of a claim by VA;
          Increasing automobile allowance available to certain severely 
        service-connected disabled veterans by $1000; and
          Authorizing pro bono legal assistance program for financially 
        needy veterans in proceedings before COVA.
    Action now has shifted to the appropriation process. The House of 
Representatives approved the VA's FY 1997 (10-1-96 through 9c31-97) 
appropriation on June 26, 1996. Major changes to the President's budget 
request include:
          An increase of $60 million over the President's budget 
        request for VA medical care;
          An increase of $2 million over the President's budget request 
        for funding the operations of the Veterans Benefits 
        Administration; and
          An additional $20 million for VA prosthetic research 
        projects.
    The Senate will now consider the FY 1997 VA appropriation bill. In 
all likelihood, their bill will differ from the House appropriation 
bill which will require a conference to work out their differences. 
Once differences are worked out in Congress, VA's appropriation bill 
will then go to the President for his signature or veto. We will keep 
you informed.
    In all our grassroots dealings with members of Congress, their 
staffs and the general public, it is important to remind them that the 
DAV is not acting in an irresponsible manner. We are not simply asking 
for more, more, more. Nor are we asking to be spared in the attempt to 
bring order to the financial crisis facing our nation. We remain 
willing to sacrifice. After all, it is the service-connected veteran 
who has sacrificed the most in defense of this nation's principles and 
the ideals cherished by its citizens.
    All we ask is fairness. Fairness that veterans' programs not be 
singled out for disproportionate cuts when other lesser priority 
federal programs go unscathed or realize significant enhancements. Not 
is it equitable to allow ``corporate welfare'' to flourish at the 
expense of American taxpayers.
    According to a recent national survey, 77% of those who expressed 
their opinion preferred to increase funding for veterans' programs to 
keep up with inflation rather than reduce the federal deficit or reduce 
taxes. Of those polled, 96% believe our nation has an obligation to 
provide ongoing disability and death benefits to veterans and their 
families for injuries and fatalities occurring while in the armed 
services. While this poll demonstrates the commitment of America's 
citizens to our nation's sick and disabled veterans, we hear other 
voices from well-organized and financed groups and coalitions, as well 
as members of Congress and the President's cabinet. These voices 
continue to call for reduction, elimination, or taxation of 
compensation payments to service-connected disabled veterans and their 
dependents. Do not be fooled by the rhetoric of these ``self-appointed 
watchdogs.'' Do not listen when they say these cuts will not take 
benefits away from combat veterans or our most severely disabled 
veterans. These cuts are so deep, they go to the heart of the VA 
system. They threaten the very integrity and viability of all VA 
programs.
    Since last year's report to the National Convention, the National 
Legislative Staff has appeared before committees and subcommittees of 
the United States Congress on numerous occasions, presenting DAV's 
views on a wide range of issues affecting service-connected disabled 
veterans and their families. In addition, National Commander Thomas A. 
McMasters, III and other Headquarters personnel have participated in 
hearings before Congress. During the first session of the 104th 
Congress (January-December 1995) and the first half of the second 
session (January-June 1996), Congress did very little on veterans' 
issues. In fact, according to the Congressional Monitor, a daily digest 
of Congressional action, the first session of the 104th Congress was 
the second longest in history; however, the 104th Congress had the 
lowest legislative output since 1933, when January was established as 
the month for the start of a new Congress. A total of only 88 bills 
were enacted as Public Law in 1995 (only one, our COLA, was a veterans' 
bill). This was down from 225 Public Laws in 1994.
    For the second time in three years, a member of the legislative 
staff went to Vietnam as a member of the Presidential Delegation on 
POW/MIAs. Unfortunately, our concerns about the extent of the 
Vietnamese cooperation on the fullest possible accounting of our POW/
MIAs fell on deaf ears. After the last trip, in March 1996, DAV, the 
American Legion, and the National League of Families of POW/MIAs 
submitted a minority report, taking issue with the findings of the 
delegation that the Vietnamese were significantly cooperating with our 
efforts to account for our POW/MIAs. As you may know, President Clinton 
recently certified that the Vietnamese have cooperated in ``full 
faith,'' thereby paving the way for full normalization of relations 
between the United States and Vietnam, including the naming of an 
ambassador to Vietnam, Representative Pete Peterson (D-FL), a former 
POW of the Vietnam War.
    As we look at the overall situation faced by the DAV's National 
Legislative staff, it becomes sadly apparent that our success will not 
be measured in the number of new initiatives passed by the 104th 
Congress. Rather, success will be measured in the number of current 
benefits, programs, and services we are able to protect from 
elimination, reduction, or taxation. Clearly, there is a ``disconnect'' 
between what the grateful citizens of this nation would like to see 
happen with respect to the defenders of America's freedoms and what 
Congress and the Administration have in store for America's veterans.
    Below is a compilation of legislation affecting DAV and DAVA 
members:
 Major Veterans' Legislation Enacted Into Law Since the 74th National 
                               Convention
 cost-of-living adjustment in compensation and dic, public law 104-57, 
                  enacted november 22, 1995--h.r. 2394
    This measure increases VA's service-connected disability and death 
compensation (the same flat-rate COLA for old law and new law DIC) by 
2.6%. This was the smallest increase in more than 20 years due to the 
low inflation rate. These rates were rounded down to the next whole 
dollar.
    Social Security recipients also received a 2.6% cost-of-living 
adjustment. Accordingly, effective December 1, 1995, VA compensation 
rates were increased by that amount. The increase also applied to 
additional compensation for dependents, annual clothing allowance and 
the statutory awards, including the ``K'' award.
defense authorization act of 1996, public law 104-106, enacted february 
                           10, 1996--s. 1124
    In the act authorizing appropriations for the Department of Defense 
for FY 1996, there is a provision authorizing the award of the Purple 
Heart Medal to persons who were wounded while being held as a prisoner 
of war (POW) before April 25, 1962.
    The law provides that a former POW who was wounded before April 25, 
1962, while being held as a POW or while being taken captive, is 
entitled to an award of the Purple Heart Medal in the same manner and 
under the same standards in effect for former POWs who were wounded on 
or after April 25, 1962.
    This act fulfills a long-standing DAV mandate to have the Purple 
Heart Medal issued to former POWs injured during captivity prior to 
April 25, 1962.
 va health care delivery act, public law 104-110, enacted february 13, 
                            1996--h.r. 2353
    This measure extended certain expiring authorities at the VA 
relating to the delivery of medical care and other items. It extends 
until December 31, 1996, the special eligibility for VA inpatient care 
accorded to certain veterans exposed to ionizing radiation, Agent 
Orange, and environmental hazards during the Persian Gulf War. It also 
extends until December 31, 1996, the special eligibility for VA 
outpatient care accorded to Persian Gulf War veterans.
    Additionally, this measure extended until December 31, 1997, the 
following programs and activities:
          VA's authority to contract for community-based drug and 
        alcohol care.
          VA's pilot program of non-institutional alternatives to 
        nursing home care;
          VA's authority to enter into agreements with non-profit 
        organizations and state and local governments to acquire real 
        property in order to furnish services to homeless veterans;
          VA's authority to determine appropriate locality pay for VA 
        nurse anesthetists;
          VA's health professional scholarship program;
          VA's authority to enter into enhanced-use leases with non-VA 
        entities;
          VA's program of community-based residential care for homeless 
        chronically mentally ill veterans;
          VA's authority to make grants to entities for the purpose of 
        furnishing services and assistance to homeless veterans; and 
        the Department of Labor's homeless veterans' reintegration 
        projects, authorizing appropriations of $10 million for this 
        program.
    This measure also made permanent the VA's authority to guarantee 
loans which bear an interest rate negotiated between the veteran and 
the lender; the VA's authority to guarantee loans that include costs 
related to making energy-efficient improvements to the dwelling that is 
the object of the loan; and the VA's authority to permit a lender who 
is authorized to make loans which are automatically guaranteed to 
review appraisals.
  omnibus appropriations act of 1996, public law no. 104-134, enacted 
                       april 26, 1996--h.r. 3019
    The FY 1996 appropriations battle was the most protracted federal 
budget battle in modern history. It came to an end on April 26, 1996, 
when President Clinton signed the final version of the bill, H.R. 3019, 
appropriating $164 billion for the last several months of FY 1996.
    Before discussing the belated enactment of the FY 1996 VA 
appropriation, I believe it is important to go back to the initial VA, 
HUD and Independent Agencies Appropriations bill, H.R. 2099.
    On July 31, 1995, H.R. 2099 was passed by the House and sent to the 
Senate for consideration. As you will recall, this measure contained 
the provision to terminate compensation to certain mentally incompetent 
veterans. On September 27, 1995, the Senate passed H.R. 2099, which 
also contained the provision to terminate compensation to certain 
mentally incompetent veterans, as well as some provisions which 
differed from the House-passed bill.
    On November 16, 1995, a conference committee completed its work on 
H.R. 2099, striking the provision to terminate compensation to certain 
mentally incompetent veterans and resolving the differences between the 
House- and Senate-passed bills. On November 29, 1995, the House passed 
a motion by Representative David Obey (D-WI) to recommit (return) the 
conference report to the conferees with instructions to the House 
conferees to increase VA health care funding by $213 million, the 
amount contained in the House-passed measure.
    On December 6, 1995, the second conference was completed; however, 
no additional money was provided for VA health care. On December 7, 
1995, Representative Obey again attempted to recommit the measure to 
the conference committee with instructions to increase VA health care 
funding by $213 million; however, this attempt failed and the House 
adopted the measure without any additional funding for VA health care.
    President Clinton vetoed the appropriations bill on December 18, 
1995. In vetoing this measure, the President stated that ``H.R. 2099 
would * * * leave veterans seeking medical care with fewer treatment 
options.'' The President went on to further state that ``the bill 
provides less than I requested for the medical care of this Nation's 
veterans. It includes significant restrictions on the funding for the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs that appear designed to impede him from 
carrying out his duties as an advocate for veterans. Further, the bill 
does not provide necessary funding for VA hospital construction.''
    In order to pay disability compensation and dependency and 
indemnity compensation by January 1, 1996, Congress needed to pass a 
resolution authorizing the VA to make these payments. This measure 
passed and January compensation checks were received in a timely 
fashion. On January 5, 1996, Congress passed and the President signed 
another measure that allows for the payment of existing veterans' 
benefits through the end of September 1996.
    In March 1996, Congressional leaders considered compiling and 
passing an omnibus spending bill which encompassed the five spending 
measures that had not yet become law at that time, including VA, HUD, 
and Independent Agencies. National Commander McMasters, in a letter to 
the members of the Senate Appropriations Committee, expressed the DAV's 
concerns about a provision of the VA's appropriation bill which, if 
enacted, would have a devastating impact on the office of the VA 
Secretary. Commander McMasters noted that ``the objectionable 
provisions of this measure are the unreasonable, and seemingly 
punitive, limitations on being placed on the personnel and travel 
budget for the office of the VA Secretary as well as three other of its 
supporting offices.'' Should this measure pass, the Secretary would be 
required to furlough a significant number of very dedicated career VA 
employees over the next six months. In addition, the activities of the 
Center for Minority Affairs and the Center for Women Veterans would be 
significantly curtailed. Further, the restrictions imposed by this 
measure would not only prevent the Secretary from executing his duties 
to oversee VA operations, but would also curtail other activities which 
directly support our nation's sick and disabled veterans, such as the 
Disabled Veterans' Winter Sports Clinic, National Veterans' Wheelchair 
Games, Golden Age Games, and Creative Arts Festival.
    National Commander McMasters called upon the members of the Senate 
Appropriations Committee to sponsor and support an amendment to the 
VA's FY 1996 Appropriation Bill that would remove these unwarranted 
spending restrictions.
    On March 7, 1996, H.R. 3019, an appropriations bill to fund those 
departments, including VA, and agencies not yet funded for FY 1996, was 
brought to the floor of the House for a vote. That bill contained 
provisions to severely limit the travel fund of the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs and to restrict the number of personnel positions 
available to the Secretary
    Prior to the vote on the bill, Congressman David Obey (D-WI) 
offered a motion to recommit (return) H.R. 3019 to the Committee on 
Appropriations with the instruction that the committee report the bill 
back to the House with an amendment to properly fund the Secretary of 
Veterans Affairs' travel budget and to not eliminate personnel 
positions available to the Secretary.
    Congressman Obey noted that the intent of this amendment is 
supported by the DAV and other VSOs. For the record, he read a 
paragraph from DAV's letter sent to every member of congress wherein it 
was stated that the restrictions placed on the Secretary's travel and 
the number of personnel positions available would have an adverse 
affect on ``activities which directly support our nation's sick and 
disabled veterans.'' By a vote of 182 to 228, Congressman Obey's motion 
to recommit was defeated. By a vote of 209 to 206, H.R. 3019 was passed 
by the House.
    The Senate version did not contain any restrictions on the number 
of personnel available to the Secretary; however, it did contain the 
travel restrictions.
    At mid-afternoon on April 25, the House voted 399 to 25 to adopt 
the conference report on H.R. 3019. The Senate cleared the bill later 
that evening on a vote of 88 to 11.
    On April 26, President Clinton signed the measure into law, 
enabling the government to continue operating normally for the 
remainder of FY 1996. Democrats and Republicans declared victory in 
this long war of attrition over spending priorities for FY 1996. The FY 
1996 VA, HUD, and Independent Agencies appropriations, H.R. 3019, Pub. 
L. No. 104-134 provides $38.59 billion for the VA, $883 million less 
than requested by President Clinton in his proposed FY 1996 budget.
    This budget retains travel restrictions on Secretary Brown; 
however, the restrictions on personnel in the Secretary's office were 
removed. While we are pleased that Congress removed the treat of staff 
cuts in the Secretary's office, we are still concerned that the travel 
restrictions on Secretary Brown, as we understand, will make it 
difficult for him to visit any VA hospital or regional office around 
the country, or attend veterans' conventions.
    Provisions of this appropriation bill include:
                              health care
    For FY 1996, VA will have $16.564 billion available for VA medical 
care. This is approximately $400 million less than the President's 
request, but approximately $350 million above the enacted FY 1995 
appropriations.
    The total Veterans' Health Administration appropriation for FY 1996 
is $16.885 billion, approximately $415 million less than requested by 
the President. In addition to the health care spending noted above, 
this amount includes $257 million for medical and prosthetic research, 
$5 million more than enacted in FY 1995; $64 million for medical 
administration and miscellaneous operating expense (MAMOE), a decrease 
of $6 million from the FY 1995 enacted level and $8 million less than 
requested by the President; and no funds were provided for health 
professional scholarship, although the President's request included $10 
million.
                     general operating expense (goe)
    This account provides funding for the personnel and equipment costs 
needed to administer nonmedical VA programs. The appropriation for FY 
1996 provides for $880 million, a decrease of $10 million from the FY 
1995 enacted appropriation and $36 million less than the President's 
request. Included in the funding for GOE is $666 million for the 
Veterans' Benefits Administration, a decrease of $28 million from the 
amount requested by the President.
                              construction
    For FY 1996, VA will take a significant funding cut in major 
construction. The FY 1995 enacted appropriation for major construction 
was $354 million, compared to $136 million in FY 1996. The President 
had requested $514 million or $378 million more than Congress 
appropriated. Minor construction spending is set at $190 million, an 
increase of almost $40 million above the enacted FY 1995 level but $39 
million below the President's request. Congress appropriated $48 
million for State Veterans Homes grants and parking garage revolving 
fund, an increase of $3 million above that requested by the President.
National Cemetery System
    The appropriation for the National Cemetery System remains at the 
FY 1995 enacted level, $73 million. This amount is $2 million less than 
the President's request of $75 million.
Mandatory spending (veterans benefits)
    There was no difference in the amount requested by the President 
and the amount passed by Congress for funding for compensation and 
pension and readjustment benefits. The funding for compensation and 
pension benefits is $18.332 billion. Readjustment benefits are set at 
$1.345 billion. The spending level for housing programs is $645 
million, $12 million less than the President's request of $657 million.
 the lobbying disclosure act, public law 104-65, enacted december 19, 
                             1996--s. 1060
    This measure was enacted to provide for the disclosure of lobbying 
activities engaged in to influence the federal government. Added to 
this was an amendment offered by Senator Alan Simpson (R-WY) which 
proposed to prohibit certain non-profit organizations that lobby from 
receiving federal funds. The term ``federal funds'' was defined as 
``constituting an award, grant, loan, or any other form.'' This 
language was broad enough to include the non-monetary assistance, i.e., 
space and office facilities provided by the VA to VSOs.
    National Commander McMasters sent a letter to every member of the 
Senate expressing DAV's concerns with the language of the amendment. 
This bill was sent to the House for their consideration and was passed 
by the House. The concerns of DAV and other VSOs were taken under 
consideration by members of the House, however. With your assistance, 
your DAV Legislative Staff was able to convince Representatives Charles 
T. Canady (R-FL) and Representative Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) to make a 
statement on the floor of the House that it was not the intent of H.R. 
2564 (the companion bill to S. 1060) to adversely impact upon the DAV's 
office space received from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). The 
House passed the same language contained in S. 1060 so that the measure 
would not have to go to conference.
    It is our belief, however, that the statements made by 
Representatives Canady and Kennedy demonstrate that there was no 
Congressional intent to affect our ability to represent veterans by 
eliminating the availability of free office space provided to VSOs. 
They both are to be commended and thanked for their efforts on our 
behalf.
DAV Legislative Activities/Pending Legislation in the Second Session of 
                           the 104th Congress
                    va funding for fiscal year 1997
    On March 19, 1996, President Clinton sent Congress his Fiscal Year 
(FY) 1997 budget (October 1, 1996 through September 31, 1997) request 
totaling $1.6 trillion in federal government spending. The President's 
seven-year balanced budget plan includes $38.8 billion for the VA for 
FY 1997. This request represents an increase of almost $500 million 
above the level approved by Congress for FY 1996, $444 million of the 
increase is for medical care.
    The Administration's budget requests $18.7 billion to provide 
compensation and pension benefits to veterans and their survivors. More 
than 2.2 million veterans and 303,000 survivors will receive 
compensation benefits in 1977.
    The Administration's proposed FY 1997 VA budget would support an 
employment level of 217,747 employees, a decrease of almost 6,000 
employees from the FY 1996 estimate.
General operating expenses (GOE)
    The GOE account provides funding for the personnel and equipment 
costs needed to administer VA nonmedical programs. In FY 1997, the 
administration requests budget authority of $843.7 million, a decrease 
of $4.4 million below the FY 1996 level. This funding level requires a 
major reduction in the average employment level, almost 1,100 
nonmedical care employees, during FY 1997.
    Highlights of the GOE budget include:
          While the Veterans Benefit Administration (VBA) will receive 
        an $18 million increase in budget authority, employee levels 
        will be cut by 624 employees, from 12,700 in FY 1996 to 12,076 
        in FY 1997.
          Budget authority for the administration of Compensation and 
        Pension (C&P) benefits is $225.6 million. This is $51.3 million 
        above the current level approved by Congress and will support 
        4,958 employees. The net increase of $51.3 million and 952 
        employees over the FY 1996 estimate is due solely to the 
        transfer of Veterans' Assistance Service (VAS) personnel into 
        the C&P service. While the C&P (VAS) employees level will 
        include 1,123 additional employees from VAS, there will be a 
        net reduction of 171 employees available to process C&P claims.
          There is a $118.3 million decrease in readjustment benefits 
        for FY 1997. The FY 1997 budget authority request is $1.23 
        billion. The Readjustment benefits account makes payments to 
        eligible veterans to assist in their readjustment to civilian 
        life and to eligible dependents.
          Budget authority of $49 million is requested in FY 1997 by 
        the Administration to support the Vocational Rehabilitation and 
        Counseling (VR&C) program. This represents a $5 million 
        decrease in funding. The employee level includes a transfer of 
        138 employees from VAS for a net gain of 109 employees over the 
        FY 1996 levels or approximately 826 employees for FY 1997.
          In FY 1997, VBA has set a goal to process original 
        compensation claims 33 days faster than in the previous fiscal 
        year. In FY 1996, VBA anticipates completing original 
        compensation claims in 150 days and it will attempt to reduce 
        that number to 117 in FY 1997. In addition, the pending 
        caseload is expected to be reduced from about 378,600 cases at 
        the end of FY 1995 to 277,000 cases at the end of FY 1997, an 
        expected reduction of 27%.
          Funds are requested by the Administration to continued 
        development of VBA's VETSNET initiative, which will replace 
        computers and software currently used to process veterans' 
        compensation and pension checks.
          General Administration's budget authority will be cut by the 
        Administration from $214 million to $201 million in FY 1997. 
        General Administration consists of the office of the Secretary, 
        five Assistant Secretaries and three department-level staff 
        offices (Board of Contract Appeals, Board of Veterans' Appeals 
        and office of the General Counsel).
          The National Cemetery System's (NSC) budget will increase 
        from $73 million to $77 million, a 5.5% increase in the 
        Administration's request. The employee level will increase by 
        14 to 1,335 employees. New Cemeteries are planned to open in 
        Seattle (11/97), Chicago (11/99), and Dallas/Fort Worth (11/
        99).
          The Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) will increase by 50 
        employees to help address timeliness issues in processing 
        veterans' appeals.
Health care
    For FY 1977, the President is requesting $17.008 billion for the 
delivery of health care to our nation's veterans. This represents an 
increase of $444 million over the FY 1996 level and will result in a 
projected loss of the equivalent of 5,154 employees from the FY 1996 
level.
    Continuing the pattern established over decades, small budget 
increases do not maintain the health care delivery system at previous 
year's level because of the increased cost of providing health care. 
While the Medical Care portion of the overall Medical Program's budget 
will increase by $444 million, 72% ($321 million) will fund a payroll 
increase for medical staff and $213 million is budgeted to cover the 
cost for inflation and changes in other VA health care related costs. 
Thus, to make up the difference, staffing is reduced by 5,154 employees 
under the President's request and projected savings of nearly $88 
million due to program changes in the delivery of health care.
    This budget request is based, in part, on certain innovative 
management improvements which began in FY 1996. These improvements 
should continue to have a positive impact through reduced costs due to 
efficiencies which should result in positive program improvements. 
Taken together, these management initiatives are projected to result in 
savings due to: decentralization which will reduce administrative 
layers, reduction in the number of personnel by reducing layers of 
management, consolidation and realignment of medical center services, 
integration of services and administrative functions, increased 
utilization of available community services, and cost savings due to 
the shift from inpatient to ambulatory care.
    In part, this budget reflects the current political debate in 
Washington over achieving a federal balanced budget by the year 2002. 
Many in Congress, in this administration, and in the press have 
professed the view that the VA budget has been untouchable while other 
federal departments and programs have felt significant cuts. The DAV's 
view is that the VA budget, particularly in health care, has been 
virtually straightlined in terms of real dollar increases for decades. 
This has resulted in VA's inability to fully meet veterans' health care 
needs. We believe VA must provide the full spectrum of programs and 
services necessary to meet the health care needs of disabled veterans. 
We support VA's administrative initiatives to continue to provide high 
quality medical services to veterans in a continuing climate of fiscal 
restraint.
    Other programs and services affected by the President's budget 
include:
          An increase of $944,000 to $111.1 million for the Beneficiary 
        Travel Program.
          An increase to nearly $976 million to enhance the quality of 
        care provided to veterans through various educational and 
        training programs.
          Continued expansion of VA's geriatric and extended care 
        programs to nearly $104 million for much needed non-
        institutional long-term care initiatives such as Hospital-Based 
        Home Care, Adult Day Health Care, Home Health Aide Services, 
        and Community Residential Care.
          VA programs to assist homeless veterans would increase by $3 
        million to $92.5 million.
          Post Traumatic Stress Disorder treatment programs would see 
        an increase of $2 million to $61 million.
          The Readjustment Counseling Service (Vet Centers) would 
        receive a $2.1 million increase to $66 million.
          The VA would continue expansion of sharing agreements to 
        include VA/DoD sharing of resources.
    In FY 1997, VA projects that 2.9 million individual veterans would 
choose VA as their health care provider. These veterans will account 
for one million hospital admissions and 29 million outpatient visits.
    The proposed $257 million medical and prosthetics research budget 
for FY 1997 represents no increase above the 1996 level and is 
projected to result in a reduction of 179 employees and 145 research 
projects.
Construction
    VA's FY 1997 budget request of $439 million is a significant drop 
from the 1996 budget request of $742.9 million. However, it is a 
significant increase over the Congressional appropriation of $326 
million. A breakdown of the request is as follows:
          Major construction projects--$250 million, an increase of 
        approximately $114 million from FY 1996; and
          Minor construction projects--$189 million, a decrease of 
        $759,000 from FY 1996.
    Of the total amounts requested by the Administration, $363 million 
will be sued for VA medical programs. Key aspects of the construction 
budget request include:
          $74.7 million for replacement and modernization;
          $58.7 million for outpatient improvements:
          $52.9 million for patient environment;
          $53.2 million dedicated to the national cemetery program 
        system;
          $11.5 million for VA regional office programs; and
          $9 million for nursing home care.
    The construction budget request includes funds for a new medical 
center and nursing home in Brevard County, Florida and a replacement 
medical center for Travis, California.
VA legislative initiatives
    The Administration's budget request proposes to make permanent 
several 1993 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (OBRA) provisions, most 
of which would expire in 1998. Those and other cost-saving legislative 
items proposed in the budget would:
          Provide a 2.8% increase in disability compensation and 
        Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC), effective December 
        1, 1996.
          Permanently round down disability compensation and DIC COLAs.
          Permanently extend monthly pension limitations for the 
        recipients of Medicaid-covered nursing home care.
          Provide permanent authority to verify income data.
          Amend Section 1151 of title 38 United States Code by limiting 
        compensation benefits for additional disability or death 
        sustained in receiving VA medical care to two situations: where 
        VA was at fault in furnishing the care, or where a not 
        reasonably foreseeable event occurred. This amendment would 
        legislatively reverse the Supreme Court decision in Gardner v. 
        Brown.
          Amend Chapter 31 of title 38, U.S.C., to require a veteran's 
        service-connected disability materially contributes to an 
        employment handicap in order for the veteran to establish 
        entitlement to a rehabilitation program under Chapter 31, 
        thereby legislative overturning the Court of Veterans Appeals 
        decision in Davenport v. Brown.
          Permanently extend provisions in current law, due to expire 
        on September 30, 1998 that:
                  allows collection of a 3% fee for reuse of VA Loan 
                Guaranty with less than a 5% down payment;
                  allows inclusion in the ``net value'' calculation 
                that amount of expected losses on resale or foreclosed 
                properties with VA guaranteed loans;
                  requires payment of a 0.75% funding fee on loans 
                refinanced to obtain a lower interest rate;
                  authorizes collections from insurance companies for 
                certain health care provided by VA;
                  authorizes income verification, for medical care 
                purposes, through the Internal Revenue Service and 
                Social Security Administration; and
                  authorizes the recovery of pharmacy and other 
                copayments.
          Provide a ``gainsharing'' provision whereby VA medical 
        facilities would be allowed to retain a portion of the money VA 
        collects from third parties--insurance carriers, copayments and 
        other receipts--to further expand and improve the quality of 
        health care VA delivers. Currently, all recoveries in excess of 
        administrative expenses are returned to the Treasury. Under the 
        ``gainsharing'' provision, once VA exceeds the goal established 
        in legislation, additional collections will be shared--VA 
        retains 25% of collections from Category A veterans and 100% 
        from Category C veterans. This will result in an additional 
        $3.439 million in FY 1997.
    Total savings from OBRA extenders and other legislative initiatives 
will be $194.6 million in FY 1997 for a total seven-year savings of 
$7.377 billion.
             va fiscal year 1997 appropriations--h.r. 3666
    On June 26, 1996, the House of Representatives approved the Fiscal 
Year 1997 VA Appropriations bill (H.R. 3666). This measure will now go 
to the Senate for their consideration.
    During the House debate on H.R. 3666, Congressmen Gerald Solomon 
(R-NY), Bob Stump (R-AZ) and G.V. ``Sonny'' Montgomery (D-MS) offered 
an amendment to increase spending on VA medical care by $40 million and 
increased funding for the Veterans Benefits Administration by $17 
million. Their amendment was approved by voice vote.
    Also, an amendment offered by Representative Todd Tiahrt (R-KS) 
added an additional $40 million to VA, $20 million for health care and 
$20 million for research from the funding for AmeriCorps national 
service program. This also passed by voice vote.
    An amendment offered by Representative W.G. ``Bill'' Hefner (D-NC) 
removed the travel restriction placed on Secretary Brown. This 
amendment passed by voice vote too.
    Finally, Congressman Bernard Sanders (I-VT) offered an amendment to 
increase funding for the Court of Veterans Appeals by $1.4 million. 
This amendment passed by a vote of 358 to 55.
    Major provisions of H.R. 3666 as compared to the President's budget 
request are:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                                                                                            House passed (H.R.  
                                                                  President's request             3666)         
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Medical care..................................................           17,008,000,000           17,008,000,000
Construction, major...........................................              250,000,000              245,000,000
Construction, minor...........................................              189,000,000              160,000,000
VBA...........................................................              643,000,000              645,000,000
General.......................................................              201,000,000              196,000,000
Administration credit reform..................................              143,000,000              140,000,000
National Cemetery System......................................               77,000,000               77,000,000
All Other.....................................................              391,000,000              416,000,000
      Total discretionary programs............................           18,901,000,000           18,946,000,000
      Total entitlements......................................           18,937,000,000           19,937,000,000
Total appropriations..........................................           38,838,000,000           38,883,000,000
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

        national defense authorization act for fy 1997--s. 1745
    The Senate Committee on Armed Services has marked up its version of 
the FY 1997 Defense Authorization Act. Those items in the bill that 
could impact on VA are highlighted below.
          No funds are authorized for cooperative VA/DoD research.
          It directs DoD to establish a uniformed policy regarding 
        retention of active duty members who are permanently not 
        assignable worldwide for medical reasons. This would include 
        those who have tested positive for the HIV virus.
          It would delete several missing persons authorities enacted 
        in the FY 1996 Defense Authorization Act. The bill would retain 
        those provisions that pertain to unaccounted-for military 
        personnel whose original status was prisoner of war or missing 
        in action and not those classified as killed in action/body not 
        recovered.
          The bill language authorizes the President to award the Medal 
        of Honor to seven African-American soldiers who served during 
        World War II.
          The bill language would provide a survivor annuity to 
        surviving spouses of members of the uniformed services who died 
        before March 21, 1940. Any such annuity would be reduced by the 
        amount of DIC that the surviving spouse receives.
          It would requires DoD to provide a uniform software package 
        for use by providers of health care under the TRICARE program 
        and by military treatment facilities.
          The bill language would enhance the third-party collection 
        program of CHAMPUS to include collections from workers' 
        compensation programs.
          It would designate the Nellis Federal Hospital, Las Vegas, 
        Nevada, as the Michael O'Callaghan Federal Hospital.
          Report language recommends the establishment of a Center for 
        Prisoner of War Studies under the auspices of the Uniformed 
        Services University of the Health Sciences.
fy 1997 budget--department of labor's veterans employment and training 
                                service
    After a review of the President's proposed FY 1997 budget for the 
Department of Labor's (DOL's) Veterans Employment and Training Service, 
we must ask ourselves--``Is the glass half empty or half full?''
    Two major concerns are the National Veterans Training Institute 
(NVTI) and the Homeless Veterans Reintegration Project (HVRP), both of 
which are zeroed out in FY 1997.
    The President's Fiscal Year 1997 budget request would increase the 
number of Disabled Veterans Outreach Programs (DVOP) specialists and 
Local Veterans' Employment Representatives (LVERs) over FY 1996 
employment levels. The budget request for FY 97 would fund 1,598 
positions, an increase of 62 from the current level. However, in Fiscal 
Year 1995, there were 1,646 positions.
    Section 4104, title 38 U.S.C., states that DoL shall provide enough 
money to fund 1,999 DVOP positions. While the FY 1997 budget request 
would fund more positions than currently funded, it still falls far 
short of the Congressional mandate.
    The President's request in FY 1997 for LVERs is sufficient to staff 
1,397 positions. There are 1,336 LVERs currently employed. In FY 1995, 
there were 1,431 LVERs.
    However, Section 4103(a), title 38 U.S.C., requires that the DoL 
shall provide funds for 1,600 full-time LVER positions. The FY 1997 
budget request falls short by 203 positions.
    The funding request for Title IV-C of the Job Training Partnership 
Act (JTPA) is $7.3 million. This program is designed to fund local 
employment and training initiatives for veterans.
    The President has requested $2.8 million for transition services 
under the Transition Assistance Program (TAP). The FY 1996 
appropriations are $2 million.
                clear and unmistakable error--h.r. 1483
    This measure would allow veterans who have a claim for clear and 
unmistakable error in a prior, final decision of the Board of Veterans' 
Appeals (Board) to reopen their cases and have their appeals decided on 
the merit of the issue of clear and unmistakable error. Currently, the 
Board has the authority to ``reconsider'' decisions; however, this 
authority is totally discretionary, and the Board determination, either 
to deny the veteran's motion for reconsideration or the denial on the 
merits of the veteran's claim, is not appealable to the Court of 
Veterans Appeals (Court) in those cases involving a final Board 
decision. This bill would require the Board to render written decisions 
on all claims alleging clear and unmistakable error and would allow the 
veteran to appeal that determination to the Court.
    This legislation is extremely important because it allows those 
veterans who have been wrongfully denied benefits to have their claims 
properly considered by the Board and have adverse determinations 
reviewed by the Court of Veterans Appeals.
    On April 17, 1996, the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on 
Compensation, Pension, Insurance, and Memorial Affairs marked up H.R. 
1483. It passed unanimously by voice vote. On May 8, 1996, the full 
Veterans' Affairs Committee marked up H.R. 1483 and the full House 
passed it on May 21.
    We are currently working with Members of the Senate to introduce a 
companion bill. Two years ago a similar measure stalled in the Senate 
and the measure died at the end of that Congress. We are hopeful that 
we can move this legislation through the Senate this year.
                     health care eligibility reform
    On September 28, 1995, the House Veterans' Affairs Committee 
approved a VA health care eligibility reform provision allowing VA, 
within available appropriations, to furnish a full range of medical 
services, including preventive health care, to eligible veterans via an 
enrollment/registration system. While the number of veterans able to 
enroll would be limited by available funding, a priority system for 
enrollment is mandated with the highest priority going to veterans 30 
percent or more disabled due to service-connected disability and the 
next priority covering 10 percent and 20 percent service-connected 
veterans and former POWs. A grandfather clause would preclude veterans 
from having their benefits reduced. Veterans exposed to environmental 
hazards such as Agent Orange would retain their treatment eligibility. 
This provision was included in the balanced budget bill that was later 
vetoed by the President. Its provisions were then reintroduced as H.R. 
3118, discussed below.
H.R. 3118
    This measure, introduced by Representative Bob Stump, Chairman, 
House Veterans' Affairs Committee for himself, Representatives 
``Sonny'' Montgomery, Tim Hutchinson, and Chet Edwards, would reform 
eligibility for health care provided by the VA. H.R. 3118 would provide 
hospital care and medical services to any veteran with a compensable 
service-connected disability, former prisoners of war, those veterans 
exposed to a toxic substance, radiation, or environmental hazards, and 
any veteran unable to defray the expenses of necessary care, i.e., low-
income veterans. It would require the Secretary to establish and 
operate a system of annual patient enrollment based on the following 
priorities:
          1. Veterans with service-connected disabilities rated 30% or 
        greater;
          2. Veterans who are former POWs and veterans with compensable 
        service-connected disabilities rated less than 30%;
          3. Veterans in receipt of increased pension based on need of 
        regular aid and attendance or by reason of being permanently 
        housebound and other veterans who are catastrophically 
        disabled;
          4. Veterans unable to defray the expenses of necessary care; 
        and
          5. All other veterans eligible for hospital care, medical 
        services, and nursing home care under Sec. 1710(a)(1) of title 
        38.
    While H.R. 3118 does not contain all of the provisions of health 
care eligibility reform contained in S. 1563 and H.R. 3119, it is a 
good ``first step.'' Therefore, the DAV supports H.R. 3118.
S. 1563
    On February 7, 1996, Senators Alan Simpson, Chairman, Senate 
Veterans' Affairs Committee, and John ``Jay'' Rockefeller, Ranking 
Minority Member, Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, introduced 
legislation at the request of the DAV, AMVETS, PVA, and VFW. This 
measure includes our collective views regarding VA health care 
eligibility reform as contained in the Independent Budget. This bill 
would authorize the VA to provide a full continuum of care for Category 
A veterans, provide adequate funding through a combination of 
appropriations, third-party collections, and cost-sharing by certain 
higher income, non-service-connected veterans choosing to use the 
system.
    Specifically, this measure would allow the VA Secretary to furnish, 
on an ambulatory or outpatient basis, such medical services as the 
Secretary determines are needed to any eligible veteran. Special rules 
regarding such ambulatory outpatient services would also apply to 
veterans exposed to ionizing radiation, Agent Orange, or toxic 
substances or environmental hazards during service in the Persian Gulf 
War.
    Another important feature of this legislation is the medical care 
cost recovery provision, which would allow the VA to use a portion of 
the unobligated balance remaining in the Medical Care Cost Recovery 
Fund. The amounts available in this fund will be derived from the VA's 
reimbursement from third-party insurers for the cost of care provided 
to veterans for non-service-connected disabilities. These funds would 
be available to the Secretary for payment of the costs of providing 
hospital care and medical services and would be available without 
fiscal year limitations. The bill also would make VA health care 
facilities eligible to participate as a provider of services to 
Medicare eligible veterans, enabling the VA to receive reimbursement 
from Medicare for the cost of care provided.
    Further, the VA's capacity to provide specialized treatment and 
rehabilitation needs to disabled veterans will be maintained. The 
Secretary would also have the authority to furnish primary health care 
services or preventive health care service at non-VA facilities to 
veterans located more than 50 miles or one hour traveling time from VA 
facilities.
H.R. 3119
    This measure, introduced by Representative ``Sonny'' Montgomery, 
would revise and improve the eligibility for medical care and services 
under title 38, United States Code. This is a companion bill to S. 1563 
and is, therefore, supported by DAV.
    If the VA is to remain a viable health care provider for sick and 
disabled veterans, the VA must be able to provide quality and timely 
health care services in a cost-effective and efficient manner. These 
measures, S. 1563 and H.R. 3119, will help to ensure that the VA can 
continue its mission to provide adequate health care and medical 
services to America's veterans.
H.R. 3117
    This measure, introduced by Representative ``Sonny'' Montgomery is 
intended to enable the VA to receive Medicare payments for operating 
health plans that would serve Medicare-eligible, nonservice-connected 
veterans who cannot now gain access to VA health care. H.R. 3117 
provides for Medicare payments to VA for higher-income, non service-
connected, Medicare-eligible veterans who are largely shut out of the 
VA system today, provided VA enrolls such veterans in VA managed-care 
plans.
          concurrent receipt legislation--h.r. 65 and h.r. 303
    There measures would provide for the concurrent receipt of military 
longevity retired pay and VA disability compensation. Under present 
law, a military retiree must offset his or her military longevity 
retired pay by the amount of VA disability compensation received. In 
essence, the military retiree, who served 20 or more years and who 
earned retired pay under criteria totally different than the criteria 
for disability compensation, must finance their disability compensation 
from their retired pay. Since the criteria for earning retired 
longevity pay and VA disability compensation are completely distinct 
from each other, it is inherently unfair that these veterans cannot 
receive military longevity retired pay and VA disability compensation 
concurrently.
    The DAV has a long-standing resolution supporting the concurrent 
receipt of military longevity retired pay and VA disability 
compensation. Your support of this legislation is greatly appreciated.
    Representative Michael Bilirakis (R-FL) recently attempted to 
introduce two amendments to the Defense Authorization bill for FY 1997 
that would provide for the concurrent receipt of military longevity 
retired pay and VA disability compensation for certain severely 
disabled veterans. Unfortunately, the House Rules Committee would not 
permit these amendments to be introduced at that time. According to 
Representative Bilirakis' office, he is currently searching for another 
bill to attach these amendments to or he will attempt to introduce them 
as free standing bills.
   servicemen's group life insurance (sgli) and veterans' group life 
                      insurance (vgli)--h.r. 2843
    This bill's major provisions allow the Secretary to terminate 
coverage when premiums are not paid within 60 days; set the automatic 
coverage at $200,000; change the name of the program to Service 
members' Group Life Insurance; merge the Retired Reserve Service 
Members' Group Life Insurance Program and automatically convert retired 
reservists' policies to VGLI; and liberalize the rules concerning 
renewal and conversion to commercial policies.
    This measure was passed by the House on May 21, 1996, and is 
currently under consideration in the Senate. Most of these provisions 
are contained in S. 996 which is pending in the Senate.
                               h.r. 3674
    This legislation would increase the one-time maximum automobile 
allowance from $5,500 to $6,500; provide up to two years of accrued 
benefits to survivors of veterans who died while their cases were being 
adjudicated; pay disability compensation benefits through the day of 
death of the veteran; authorize pro bono legal assistance program for 
financially needy veterans in proceedings before COVA; clarify the 
causal relationship required between a veteran's service-connected 
disability and employment handicap for purposes of determining 
eligibility for training and rehabilitation assistance; and increase 
the Montgomery GI bill $5.00 per month.
    This measure was passed by the House Veterans' Affairs Committee on 
June 20, 1996.
                               h.r. 3673
    This legislation would add bronchiolo-aveolar carcinoma to the list 
of illnesses presumed to be service-connected for veterans exposed to 
ionizing radiation; add a presumption of permanent and total disability 
for veterans over 65 years of age if they reside in a nursing home; 
allow the Veterans Benefits Administration under a pilot program to 
contract with private physicians for compensation and pension physical 
examinations; eliminate VA's clothing allowance for incarcerated 
veterans; authorize the American Battle Monuments Commission to assume 
responsibility for some overseas memorials and accept private funds for 
their maintenance; extend the time for submission of the final report 
from the Veterans' Claims Adjudication Commission to December 31, 1996, 
and provide an additional $150,000 in funding; allow opportunity to 
pursue educational programs through open circuit TV; permit payment of 
education benefits for flight training to certain veterans; allow 
veterans training under cooperative training programs to be paid full-
time educational benefits; extend the authority of VA, for an 
additional year, to guarantee the real estate mortgage investment 
conduits used to market vender loans; extend the Homeless Veterans 
Reintegration Project through FY 1999 and authorize appropriations in 
the amount of $10 million; and expand eligibility for burial benefits 
to include certain veterans who die in state nursing homes.
    This measure was favorably reported out of the House Veterans' 
Affairs Committee on June 20, 1996.
     tax-exempt status for veterans' benefits--s. 297 and h.r. 972
    These measures would clarify that VA benefits are tax-exempt. As 
you may recall, this legislation was passed during the 102nd Congress, 
but the measure was vetoed by President Bush because of other 
provisions contained in the bill. DAV continues to pursue the enactment 
of this measure and requests your support of our efforts in this 
regard.
  the veterans' housing and employment programs and employment rights 
                    benefits act of 1995--h.r. 2289
    On December 13, 1995, the House, by voice vote, passed H.R. 2289. 
This measure would:
          Extend several VA home loan and housing programs including 
        negotiated interest rates, energy efficient mortgages, and 
        housing assistance for homeless veterans;
          Reduce VA reporting requirements;
          Streamline the operations of the veterans' employment and 
        training service; and
          Clarify many of the provisions of the Uniformed Services 
        Employment and Reemployment Rights Act.
    This measure is pending action in the Senate and was one of the 
measures discussed at the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee hearing on 
May 23.
                            va construction
H.R. 2814
    The House Veterans' Affairs Committee approved by voice vote H.R. 
2814. This measure would have authorized 13 major medical construction 
projects for fiscal year 1996. The bill authorized $279 million in new 
construction spending, including three projects totaling $78 million 
that were funded under the fiscal year 1996 VA appropriations bill that 
was vetoed by the President. This bill did not come up for a vote by 
the full House. Many of the provisions of H.R. 2814 were incorporated 
in H.R. 3376.
H.R. 3376
    On June 4, 1996, the House of Representative, by voice vote, passed 
H.R. 3376 that would authorize $434 million for construction at 27 VA 
hospitals around the country. The measure would also name the VA 
hospital in Jacksonville, Mississippi after retiring Representative 
G.V. ``Sonny'' Montgomery (D-MS), another facility in Johnson City, 
Tennessee after retiring Representative James H. Quillen (R-TN), and a 
third facility in Aspinwall, Pennsylvania will be named after former 
Senator John Heinz (R- PA).
    Other provisions of the bill include:
          $13.5 million for an ambulatory care facility in Brockton, 
        Massachusetts;
          $25 million for outpatient improvements in Shreveport, 
        Louisiana;
          $19.9 million for an ambulatory care project in Dallas, 
        Texas;
          $21.1 million for an ambulatory care project in Lyons, New 
        Jersey;
          $12.7 million for an ambulatory care project in Tomah, 
        Wisconsin;
          $9.5 million for environmental improvements for renovation of 
        nursing units at Lebanon, Pennsylvania;
          $11.5 million for environmental improvements at Marion, 
        Illinois;
          $28.2 million for environmental improvements at VA Medical 
        Center in Atlanta, Georgia;
          $22.9 million for environmental improvements at VA Medical 
        Center psychiatric building in Battle Creek, Michigan;
          $7.7 million for environmental improvements at VA Medical 
        Center in Omaha, Nebraska;
          $17.4 million for environmental improvements at VA Medical 
        Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania;
          $26 million for environmental improvements at VA Medical 
        Center in Waco, Texas;
          $15.1 million for renovation of psychiatric wards at Perry 
        Point, Maryland;
          $17.3 million for replacement of three psychiatric buildings 
        at Marion, Indiana;
          $17.2 million for environmental enhancements at Salisbury, 
        North Carolina;
          The Secretary may also carry out seismic corrections at the 
        following:
                  VA Medical Center in Palo Alto, California in the 
                amount of $36 million;
                  VA Medical Center in Long Beach, California in the 
                amount of $20.2 million;
                  VA Medical Center in San Francisco, California in the 
                amount of $26 million.
          $28.8 million for an ambulatory care unit in Asheville, North 
        Carolina;
          $9.8 million for an ambulatory care unit in Temple, Texas;
          $35.5 million for an ambulatory care unit in Tucson, Arizona; 
        and
    The Secretary may also enter into leases for medical facilities at 
the following:
          Satellite outpatient clinic in Allentown, Pennsylvania;
          Satellite outpatient clinic in Beaumont, Texas;
          Satellite outpatient clinic in Boston, Massachusetts;
          Parking facility in Cleveland, Ohio;
          Satellite outpatient clinic and VBA field office in San 
        Antonio, Texas; and
          Satellite outpatient clinic in Toledo, Ohio.
    Finally, the Secretary is required to submit a report on the health 
care needs of veterans in east central Florida. He may also obligate 
funds for the design work for the conversion of the former Orlando 
Naval Training Center Hospital in Orlando, Florida. The Secretary is 
also required to submit a report, no later than January 31 of each 
year, on the long-range health planning of the VA.
                             reconciliation
    Initially, the FY 1996 reconciliation target for the Department of 
Veterans Affairs was $6.4 billion over a seven-year period. 
Essentially, this deficit reduction target was met by extending certain 
provisions in the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993, including 
recovery from health insurers for nonservice-connected health care, 
prescription copayments, increased home loan fees and foreclosure 
procedures, and the rounding down of COLAs. Additionally, both the 
House and Senate agreed to repeal the provisions of the Gardner 
decision which allowed a veteran to prevail on an 1151 claim (the 
equivalent of medical malpractice) without a showing that the VA was at 
fault in causing the additional disability. However, the Senate and 
House were unable to agree on provisions relating to the Montgomery 
G.I. Bill. The House wanted to increase the prescription copayment fee 
to $3, while the Senate wants to limit to one-half the cost-of-living 
allowance adjustment for the G.I. Bill and increase the contribution 
amount of the military member.
    On November 1, 1995, the Veterans' Affairs Committee was notified 
that their reconciliation target was increased to $6.7 billion over the 
next seven years. No determination was made as to where the additional 
$300 million dollar cuts would come from.
    No action was taken on reocnciliation during FY 1996 as it was 
vetoed by the President and Congress was unable to override the veto or 
make sufficient changes to the bill to allow for its passage.
    The Fiscal Year 1997 VA budget adopted by Congress on June 7, 1996 
sets the savings (reconciliation) required by VA over the next six 
years at $5.1 billion. This is $1.3 billion below last year's 
recommendation.
              veterans integrated service networks (visns)
    The Veterans' Health Administration (VHA) is progressing in efforts 
to achieve a major overhaul of how VA delivers health care in the 
future. The new field elements of VHA are referred to as Veterans 
Integrated Service Networks (VISNs).
    The goal of VISNs is simply to improve veterans' access to VA 
health care services and provide an increased degree of quality, 
timeliness and efficiency of care provided to veterans.
    There will be 22 VISNs, each consisting of between 5 and 12 medical 
centers. Each VISN will have an overall director whose job will be to 
ensure the integration and coordination of all VA health care services 
so that the maximum number of veterans may be provided quality medical 
care.
    Recently, Senator Simpson introduced, at the request of the VA, S. 
1748, which would facilitate the reorganization of the headquarters of 
the Veterans' Health Administration (VHA) by authorizing a VHA 
reorganization notwithstanding the notice and wait provisions of 
section 510 of title 38, United States Code. The draft bill also 
proposes the elimination of the statutory requirement that VHA have a 
centralized medical service, dental service, podiatric service, 
optometric service, and nursing service, and would eliminate the 
requirement that the associate deputy Undersecretary for Health be a 
doctor of medicine.
  agent orange, ionizing radiation, environmental hazards, and other 
                          measures--h.r. 3463
    This bill was favorably reported out of Committee and would extend 
priority health care for veterans exposed to Agent Orange and Persian 
Gulf veterans to December 31, 1998; make permanent priority health care 
for radiation-exposed veterans; create a committee on care of severely 
chronically mentally ill veterans and centers for mental illness 
research, education, and clinical activities; authorize the VA to 
appropriate from its research funds moneys to support research, 
education and training activities of centers in the amount of $3.13 
million for FY 1998 and $6.25 million for FY 1999-2001; extend priority 
health care for veterans who served in Israel or Turkey during the 
Persian Gulf War; and improve health care for women veterans.
Agent Orange
    On May 28, 1996, President Clinton announced that Vietnam veterans 
disabled by prostate cancer or acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy 
will be entitled to disability compensation based on their presumed 
exposure to Agent Orange. The President also announced that the VA will 
be proposing legislation that would provide appropriate remedy for 
children of Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange who suffer from a 
birth defect of the spine called spina bifida.
    In March, the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) issued a report 
indicating that NAS found that there is new limited or suggestive 
evidence to show an association with prostate cancer, acute and 
subacute peripheral neuropathy (a neurological disorder) in Vietnam 
veterans, and spina bifida (a congenital abnormality) in their 
children.
    The VA will be developing a regulation as quickly as possible so 
that it can begin compensating Vietnam veterans currently disabled from 
acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy, if manifested within one year 
of herbicide exposure, and those with prostate cancer.
    VA estimates that potentially up to 3,000 children of Vietnam 
veterans may be afflicted with spina bifida. It is unclear how the VA 
will handle this situation.
Ionizing Radiation
    The Subcommittee on Compensation, Pension, Insurance, and Memorial 
Affairs held an oversight hearing on April 30, 1996, to discuss the 
controversy surrounding access to VA medical treatment and VA 
disability compensation for veterans exposed to ionizing radiation. We 
noted in our testimony that, due to the belief of many atomic veterans 
that they are not receiving adequate health care for their illnesses 
due to radiation exposure, Congressional oversight in the area of 
access to health care was needed. Additionally, we indicated that 
Atomic veterans also felt that the physicians whom they saw for care 
and treatment did not have sufficient expertise in the harmful effects 
and residuals caused by exposure to ionizing radiation.
    It was the DAV's position that, as far as disability compensation 
was concerned, remedial legislation passed in the 1980s was a total 
failure. DAV pointed out that very few veterans or their survivors 
benefited from these laws. DAV called upon Congress to add all 
``radiogenic diseases'' and any other illnesses, diseases, or 
disability for which others are compensated for by the federal 
government as a result of exposure to ionizing radiation to the list of 
diseases presumed to be service-connected. America's Atomic veterans 
should receive a rebuttable presumption for all such diseases, 
illnesses, or disabilities.
Persian Gulf War Veterans
    Congress continues to hold oversight hearings on the controversy 
surrounding ``Persian Gulf Syndrome.'' Reportedly, nine government 
agencies and departments are researching this issue. To date, nothing 
has been resolved, and the brave men and women who served in the 
Persian Gulf continue to suffer from unexplained ailments.
    In May 1996, the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee, at the request 
of Senator Jay Rockefeller, Ranking Minority Member of the Committee, 
held a Gulf War Illnesses ``briefing.'' Attending the briefing to 
answer questions regarding the government's handling of Persian Gulf 
veterans' complaints were officials from the Department of Defense and 
Department of Veterans Affairs. Also attending the briefing was a 
private physician and a professor of pharmacology at Duke University 
who has conducted research on the possible effects of the nerve gas 
pills, insect repellents, and insecticides given to U.S. military 
personnel during the Persian Gulf War.
    Senator Rockefeller admonished the Department of Defense (DoD) for 
their handling of the issue of Persian Gulf illnesses. Senator 
Rockefeller also criticized DoD for its handling of other issues over 
the years beginning with Mustard Gas during World War I, ionizing 
radiation during and after World War II, and Agent Orange during the 
Vietnam War. He stated that this demonstrated a ``track record'' in 
DoD's failure to acknowledge that problems existed with these various 
issues. Senator Rockefeller also refused to accept statements made by 
both VA and DoD that the symptoms experienced by Persian Gulf veterans 
were no different than those symptoms experienced by the general 
public. Both DoD and VA reported that, while no single etiology could 
be found for the illnesses suffered by Persian Gulf veterans, research 
was continuing. It was Senator Rockefeller's belief that our government 
was not moving quickly enough on this issue. It was also his belief 
that all resources of our government should be directed to finding 
answers to these puzzling illnesses affecting Persian Gulf veterans.
    On the other hand, Senator Simpson indicated that he was not 
willing to do anything at this time on this issue, since nine 
departments and agencies of our government were studying and 
researching this issue.
                                 s. 995
    S. 995 would restrict payment of clothing allowance, in the case of 
incarcerated veterans, otherwise payable to eligible veterans. This 
measure would also create a presumption of permanent and total 
disability for pension payments for veterans over age 65 who are 
patients in a nursing home.
                                 s. 281
    This measure proposes to change the date of the beginning of the 
Vietnam Era for purposes of VA benefits from August 5, 1964, to 
December 22, 1961.
                                 s. 749
    This measure proposes to revise the authority relating to the 
Center for Minority Veterans and the Center for Women Veterans and to 
extend the termination date of the Advisory Committee on Minority 
Veterans from December 31, 1997 to December 31, 1999.
                                s. 1342
    This measure would authorize the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to 
make direct loans to refinance loans made to veterans under the Native 
American Veteran Housing Loan Pilot Program.
                                 s. 993
    This measure, introduced at the request of the VA, would provide 
for cost savings in the Home Loan Program for veterans, including the 
repeal of the loan debt collection restrictions, section 3726 of title 
38; an increase in the manufactured home loan down payment and fee; 
extension of the loan fee increase; extension of the fee for multiple 
use of loan entitlements; and the extension of the no-bid formula; and 
it would limit the cost of living increases for Montgomery GI Bill 
benefits.
    DAV is concerned that by repealing 38 U.S.C. Sec. 3726, we could be 
opening ``Pandora's Box'' in that veterans, who had loans assumed prior 
to the change in law affecting loan assumptions, could now be held 
liable for those loans. These veterans, through no fault of their own, 
would be legally responsible for those defaulted loans. DAV, therefore, 
opposes the repeal of Sec. 3726.
    This measure would provide savings of approximately $304 million in 
FY 1999 and an additional $295 million in FY 2000. The DAV firmly 
believes that these savings should be used to correct inequities in the 
VA that currently exist in the law. While we are cognizant of the 
importance of reducing the deficit, we believe that these funds would 
be better put to use within the VA system.
    The DAV does not support limiting the cost-of-living adjustment for 
Montgomery GI Bill benefits. We see no reason to single out the 
Montgomery GI Bill recipients for reduction in their cost-of-living 
adjustment. DAV has consistently stated that we would forego a COLA if 
all federal programs received similar across-the-board COLA cuts, in a 
fair and equitable manner.
                                 s. 994
    This measure was introduced at the request of the VA and would 
clarify the eligibility of certain minor children for burial in 
national cemeteries.
                                s. 1752
    This measure, also introduced at the request of VA, would exempt 
full-time registered nurses, physician's assistants and expanded-
function dental auxiliary from restrictions on remunerated outside 
professional activities.
                                s. 1711
    Senator Bob Dole introduced S. 1711 on April 29, 1996, the purpose 
of which is ``To establish a commission to evaluate the programs of the 
federal government that assist members of the armed forces and veterans 
in readjusting to civilian life and for other purposes.''
    DAV supports the intent of S. 1711 and has made some suggestions to 
change some of its provisions so as to better serve veterans.
                               h.r. 3458
    This measure would increase, effective December 1, 1996, the rates 
of compensation for veterans with service-connected disabilities and 
the rates of dependency and indemnity compensation for the survivors of 
certain disabled veterans. The rate of increase would follow Social 
Security Administration figures (predicted to be about 2.8%). The 
amount will be rounded down to the next lower dollar amount for all 
compensation and DIC benefits when the amount is not a whole dollar 
amount. This measure passed the full committee on June 20, 1996, and 
will be voted on by the full House in the near future. The Senate 
Veterans Affairs Committee will be marking up similar legislation on 
June 25, 1996.
                       balanced budget amendment
    On June 6, 1996, the Senate again defeated the constitutional 
amendment to balance the budget. The vote was 64-35--two votes short of 
the needed two-thirds vote.
          * * * * * * *
    This completes the annual report of the National Legislative 
Department
    As evidenced by this report, the past year has been anything but 
routine. We've experienced a protracted federal budget battle, 
government shutdowns, and continued threats that the worst is yet to 
come for veterans, their dependents and survivors who depend upon the 
VA for benefits and services. United we can weather this ``storm.'' In 
the past, the Legislative Department has relied heavily upon the 
grassroots efforts of DAV and DAVA members and families and each time 
you have answered the call. I would again like to acknowledge the 
support of all those associated with DAV legislative grassroots 
actions. The men and women of the DAV and DAVA have been instrumental 
in making DAV's position known to our elected officials. It is this 
unhesitant and unselfish support and involvement of the membership of 
this great organization that continues our leadership role in veterans' 
affairs. Always be mindful of the fact that the American public 
continues to support veterans and programs and services designed to 
provide for the well being of the defenders of America's freedoms. Make 
sure that you continue to remind our elected representatives in 
Congress and the President of this important fact.
    [Report closed June 27, 1996.]

    Commander McMasters. At this time, I'll call on Mr. Tanner 
so we can correct that technical problem we had with the 
adoption of the Rules. Mike 3. Will you please restate your 
motion to adopt the Convention Rules as amended.
    Mr. James H. Tanner. Okay. I made the original motion to 
adopt the Rules. I'd like to adopt the Rules as amended. James 
Tanner, Joseph R. Harold Chapter 10, Massachusetts.
    Commander McMasters. Do we have support for that? Mike 1.
    Mr. Salvatore Lo Sauro. Sal Lo Sauro, Chapter 15, New 
Jersey, seconds.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. We have the motion and 
support to adopt the Rules as amended. Are you ready for the 
question? Ready for the question? All in favor, signify by Aye; 
opposed. That's carried.
    At this time, I'd like to call on Commander Bob 
Quattlebaum, Department of Louisiana, and Mr. Ed Figueron, 
Convention Committee member for a presentation.
    Mr. Robert Quattlebaum. Commander McMasters, you should 
know by now, beware of things in plain brown paper, and you're 
about to receive it. On behalf of the Department of Louisiana 
and its members, we would like for you to accept this small 
gift that was furnished by Eddy's Painting for putting up with 
us for the last year and the help you gave us during the year. 
Thank you.
    [Applause]. [Cries of, ``Can't hear you.'']
    Mr. Quattlebaum. I don't know what I said, so I can't 
repeat it.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Bob, very much. It's a nice 
swamp scene painted over the State of Louisiana for those of 
you that can't see it.
    At this time, I'm going to call on the General Resolutions 
and Membership Committee chairman, John McCullough for the 
report.
    Mr. John F. McCullough. Commander McMasters, delegates: The 
National Convention Committee on General Resolutions and 
Membership was called to order at its first business session on 
July 29th, 1996 by the committee advisors, Rick Surratt and 
Jerry Steelman. The first order of business was to elect a 
chairman of the convention committee. John McCullough was 
nominated for chairman. There being no further nominations, 
nominations were closed, and John McCullough was selected 
chairman.
    The next order of business was the nomination and election 
of a secretary. Kenneth Grunwald was nominated and elected as 
the secretary of the committee.
    The committee then proceeded to review the resolutions 
submitted, and I will now report to you the resolutions 
recommended for adoption by this National Convention. For the 
purpose of time-saving, I will read only the number and the 
RESOLVED portions of the resolutions.
    Resolution Number 80. Seeking the immediate release of any 
Americans who may still be held captive following World War II, 
the Korean War, the Vietnam War and return of the remains of 
any Americans who died during these wars.

          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED the Disabled American Veterans 
        Chapter 7, Omaha Beach, urges the U.S. Government to ensure 
        that the POW/MIA issue be considered as one of America's 
        highest priorities, accelerating efforts to obtain the release 
        of any American who still may be held captive and obtain the 
        fullest possible accounting of those still missing, and the 
        repatriation of the remains of those who died while serving our 
        nation; and
          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clinton Administration is 
        urged to follow up at the policy level to ensure that the 
        pledges made by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam are 
        fulfilled, and that in the absence of fulfillment of these 
        pledges, the Disabled American Veterans is opposed to further 
        economic and political steps to improve bilateral relations 
        between the United States and the Socialist Republic of 
        Vietnam; and
          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans 
        call on Congress to oppose further steps on this same issue.

    Resolution Number 248. Opposing any legislation to erode the 
provisions of Missing Service Personnel Act of 1996.

          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans 
        in National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, 
        July 28 through August 1st, 1996, oppose legislation to amend 
        the procedures for determining the whereabouts and status of 
        missing persons ensuring access to government information 
        concerning the whereabouts and status of missing military 
        personnel and safeguarding the rights of those missing 
        personnel and their family members as contained in the Missing 
        Service Personnel Act of 1996. Resolution Number 249. 
        Supporting strong national defense.
          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans 
        in National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, 
        July 28th through August 1st, 1996, go on record urging 
        Congress to provide adequate funds for the defense of our 
        nation, both at home and abroad.

    Resolution Number 69. Restore meaningful memorial service to 
Veterans' Day.

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the DAV Department of 
        Connecticut meeting in the 75th Annual Convention, June 7th 
        through 9th, 1996, go on record urging all veterans 
        organizations to unite together and make this brief period on 
        Veterans' Day a special and symbolic expression of our 
        gratitude. We should also ask our town leaders and state 
        officials to restore that minute of silence and yes, perhaps, 
        the ringing of church bells could bring back the old but most 
        fitting honor. With the acceptance of said resolution, the 
        convention shall then instruct DAV Department of Connecticut 
        adjutant to forward resolution for placement on the agenda for 
        General Resolutions, National Security, Americanism and 
        Membership Committee at the National Convention July 27th 
        through August 1st, 1996 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

    Resolution Number 75, as amended by committee. Resolution to 
support a POW/MIA commemorative stamp.

          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that we, the Disabled American 
        Veterans Department of Florida, Disabled American Veterans, 
        being regularly convened at state convention and meeting on the 
        8th day of June in the Year of Our Lord, 1996, at the Hilton 
        Hotel in Altamonte Springs, Florida, do hereby implore the 
        Postmaster General of the United States of America to continue 
        the issuing of a commemorative stamp so that all those who 
        purchase postage stamps will never have the opportunity to 
        forget our POW/MIAs;
          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we, the Department of Florida 
        Disabled American Veterans, do also implore the national 
        leadership of the Disabled American Veterans to endorse this 
        resolution and likewise petition the Postmaster General of the 
        United States.

    Resolution Number 252. Condemnation of the public desecration of 
the flag of the United States.

          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans 
        in National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, 
        July 28th through August 1st, 1996, shall go on record as 
        condemning any individual or group who shall at any time 
        publicly and wilfully desecrate the flag of the United States.

    Resolution Number 250. In support of the appointment of member of 
the Veterans Bar as associate judge of the United States Court of 
Appeals.

          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans 
        in National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, 
        July 28th through August 1st, 1996, urge President Clinton to 
        nominate the next judge of the Court of Veterans Appeals from 
        among those qualified and distinguished groups of veteran 
        practitioners.

    Resolution Number 251. To encourage all disabled veterans to become 
registered voters.

          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans 
        in National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, 
        July 28th through August 1st, 1996, encourage 100 percent of 
        our members to become registered to vote, and thereby 
        strengthen our organization's ability to preserve and improve 
        our system of veterans' benefits and services.

    The next resolution has no number. It's a committee resolution. 
Appreciation to New Orleans Hilton Riverside for the success of the 
75th National Convention.

          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans 
        in National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, 
        July 28th through August 1st, 1996, express its sincere 
        gratitude to the New Orleans Hilton Riverside and all its 
        employees for their exceptional assistance in making the 
        convention a tremendous success.

    Another committee resolution. Appreciation to all who are 
responsible for the success of the 75th National Convention.

          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans 
        in National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, 
        July 28th through August 1st, express its sincere appreciation 
        to all groups and/or agencies whose dedication to our 
        principles has made our convention successful; and
          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we wish to extend to the citizens 
        of New Orleans, Louisiana our deepest gratitude for their 
        personal interest in our great organization; and
          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we wish to extend our 
        appreciation to all the distinguished guests who participated 
        in our convention and support the ideals and principles of our 
        great organization;
          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we extend our gratitude to the 
        convention chairman, Paul Benoit, and his entire committee for 
        providing personalized assistance to our friends and delegates 
        during our convention stay.

    Another committee resolution. Extend appreciation to the VA Medical 
Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, for the success of the 75th National 
Convention.
          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans 
        in National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, 
        July 28th through August 1st, 1996, express its sincere 
        appreciation to the VA Medical Center in New Orleans, 
        Louisiana, whose dedication to the care and treatment of the 
        delegates to this 75th National Convention has made our 
        convention a successful one.

    The following is a committee resolution, which I will read in its 
entirety. Appreciation to National Commander McMasters.

          Whereas, Thomas A. McMasters, III has devoted himself to the 
        cause of our nation's service-connected wartime disabled 
        veterans and their families; and
          Whereas, he has served the Disabled American Veterans in an 
        exemplary fashion, rising to our organization's highest elected 
        office, national commander; and
          Whereas, during his tenure as national commander, public 
        support for veterans' programs has remained strong; and
          Whereas, under his leadership, DAV maintained a strength of 
        more than one million members; and
          Whereas, Commander McMasters has continued our commitment to 
        service with continued recruitment and training new national 
        service officers and with an updated, improved and enhanced 
        structure and continued training for national service officers; 
        and
          Whereas, under his guidance, DAV has undertaken a new 
        initiative to strengthen its management through management and 
        leadership training for current and potential managers; and
          Whereas, under his guidance, DAV has remained a vanguard in 
        the constant fight to protect and maintain veterans' earned 
        benefits and defeat of legislation which would have terminated 
        compensation to certain mentally incompetent veterans; and
          Whereas, during his term, DAV donated 141 vans to the DAV 
        Transportation Network and secured a gift of 11 additional vans 
        from the Ford Motor Company to transport veterans to and from 
        VA medical facilities for the much-needed health care; and
          Whereas, Commander McMasters traveled both home and abroad 
        countless miles to advance the cause of disabled veterans; and
          Whereas, Commander McMasters obtained respect and admiration 
        throughout the veterans' community as an effective spokesman 
        for the nation's service-connected wartime disabled veterans 
        and their families;
          NOW, THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American 
        Veterans in National Convention assembled in New Orleans, 
        Louisiana, July 28th through August 1st, recognizes the very 
        special contributions of Thomas A. McMasters, III as DAV's 
        national commander----

    [Applause.]
    One moment, please. I'm not finished. Please let me finish. I know 
I'm slow, but let me finish.

          [continuing], and expresses our membership's appreciation to 
        him and his invaluable services to the organization and 
        disabled veterans; and
          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we also extend our sincere 
        appreciation and thanks to Commander McMaster's wife, Sandra 
        McMasters, and his entire family for their support and 
        sacrificies during his year as national commander. Now you can 
        get noisy. (Applause)

    Commander, I would like to thank the advisors to the committee and 
the members of the committee for their work during these hours of 
deliberation. And I now move for the adoption of the report of the 
General Resolutions Committee.
    [The above-mentioned resolutions follow.]

                   RESOLUTION NO. 069--ADMINISTRATIVE

        to restore meaningful memorial service to veterans' day
    WHEREAS, with the change of name from Armistice Day to Veterans' 
Day, meaningful memorial service on November 11th seems to have been 
lost, and steps should be taken to restore intent; and
    WHEREAS, when November 11th was celebrated as Armistice day, a 
solemn remembrance at 11th hour on 11th day of 11th month for all 
veterans was observed by citizens with a ``minute of silence'' and 
church bells; and
    WHEREAS, if we do not continue the tradition of remembering our 
departed comrades, future generations will not remember us; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, goes on record urging all veterans' organizations to unite 
together to make this brief period on Veterans' Day a special and 
symbolic expression of our gratitude and urging that our leaders and 
state officials restore that ``minute of silence'' and other fitting 
honors such as the ringing of church bells.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 075--LEGISLATIVE

       supporting continuation of the pow-mia commemorative stamp
    WHEREAS, the United States Postal Service, on May 29, 1995, issued 
a commemorative stamp on the face of which appears the statement, 
``P.O.W.--M.I.A. NEVER FORGOTTEN''; and
    WHEREAS, this stamp will only be issued for one year or until the 
current supply is exhausted, whichever occurs first; and
    WHEREAS, it is inconsistent with the principle that our prisoners 
of war and missing in action should ``never'' be forgotten to issue 
this stamp for such a temporary and short period; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, urges the continuing issue of the POW-MIA commemorative stamp 
to help assure that our prisoners of war and missing in action are not 
forgotten.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 080--LEGISLATIVE

 seeking the immediate release of any americans who may still be held 
captive following world war ii, the korean war and vietnam war and the 
   return of the remains of any americans who died during these wars
    WHEREAS, the members of the Disabled American Veterans are deeply 
concerned for the thousands of American servicemen still unaccounted 
for in the aftermath of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam 
War; and
    WHEREAS, there are still today more than 78,000 unaccounted for 
following World War II, some 8,000 from the Korean War and over 2,100 
in Southeast Asia from the Vietnam War who have not been forgotten; and
    WHEREAS, numerous efforts by high level American delegations 
including members of Congress have visited Southeast Asia in continuing 
efforts to solve the mystery of the whereabouts and fate of these brave 
men without success; and
    WHEREAS, the Socialist Republic of Vietnam made commitments to the 
March 1996 Presidential Delegation on POW/MIA to renew and increase 
their unilateral, as well as joint efforts to account for America's 
POW/MIAs' and
    WHEREAS, the brave families of missing Americans continue to live 
in uncertainty and anguish regarding their missing sons and husbands; 
and
    WHEREAS, the Clinton Administration has repeatedly stated that 
accounting as fully as possible for all Americans still missing and 
unaccounted for from the Vietnam War is the highest priority of U.S. 
bilateral relations with the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, urges the U.S. government to ensure that the POW/MIA issue be 
considered as one of America's highest priorities, accelerating efforts 
to obtain the release of any American who still may be held captive and 
obtain the fullest possible accounting of those still missing and the 
repatriation of the remains of those who died while serving our nation; 
AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clinton Administration is urged to 
follow-up at the policy level to ensure that the pledges made by the 
Socialist Republic of Vietnam are fulfilled; and that in the absence of 
fulfillment of these pledges, the Disabled American Veterans is opposed 
to further economic and political steps to improve bilateral relations 
between the United States and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans calls on 
Congress to oppose further steps on this same basis.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 248--LEGISLATIVE

opposing any legislation to erode the provisions of the missing service 
                         personnel act of 1996
    WHEREAS, there are nearly 100,000 American Servicemen and women 
still unaccounted for in the aftermath of World War II, the Korean War, 
the Vietnam War and Subsequent military engagements; and
    WHEREAS, the members of the Disabled American Veterans are deeply 
concerned for those servicemen and women still unaccounted for from 
those wars and military engagements and for those who may be classified 
as missing-in-action in future wars or military engagements; and
    WHEREAS, the families of the missing Americans must live in 
uncertainty and anguish regarding the fate of their loved ones; and
    WHEREAS, there is a deterioration in the trust and credibility 
placed in some of the government officials involved in accounting for 
these missing Americans; and
    WHEREAS, Congress passed the Missing Service Personnel Act of 1996 
to provide guidelines for accounting for missing service personnel and 
for establishing procedures and safeguards to ensure that the next-of-
kin of missing service personnel are kept informed; and
    WHEREAS, some members of Congress continue to attempt to amend this 
new law to strike certain important provisions necessary to ensure a 
proper accounting of missing service personnel; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes legislation to amend the procedures for determining 
the whereabouts and status of missing persons, ensuring access to 
government information concerning the whereabouts and status of missing 
military personnel, and safeguarding the rights of these missing 
personnel and their family members as contained in the Missing Service 
Personnel Act of 1996.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 249--LEGISLATIVE

                  supporting a strong national defense
    WHEREAS, the United States military forces are responsible for the 
defense of this Nation and its interest abroad; and
    WHEREAS, the United States has recently been called upon to 
intervene in various conflicts; and
    WHEREAS, a strong national defense led to the defeat of Communism 
in Eastern Europe; and
    WHEREAS, U.S. interests continue to be challenged throughout the 
world, requiring our military forces to be deployed in protection of 
world freedom; and
    WHEREAS, we can never let our guard down; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, goes on record urging Congress to provide adequate funds for 
the defense of our Nation both at home and abroad.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 250--LEGISLATIVE

   in support of the appointment of a member of the veterans' bar as 
     associate judge of the united states court of veterans appeals
    WHEREAS, the United States Court of Veterans Appeals (the Court) 
was established on November 18, 1988, for the sole purpose of providing 
judicial review of decisions on claims for benefits from the Department 
of Veterans Affairs (VA) for millions of veterans, their dependents and 
survivors and active duty military personnel; and
    WHEREAS, litigation before the Court is controlled by the VA, 
inasmuch as the VA and the military control the record upon which the 
case is decided, VA writes the regulations under which the claim is 
adjudicated, VA physicians evaluate the veteran's disability, VA 
employs the adjudicators and hearing officers who decide the claim, and 
VA convenes the Board of Veterans' Appeals that reviews the original 
department decision; and
    WHEREAS, when the seven original judges were appointed in 1989 and 
1990, no pool of qualified veterans' advocates existed from which 
potential judges could be selected, resulting in an original selection 
process which was comprised of a former VA General Counsel, a former 
Department of Justice official, and representatives from the Department 
of Defense, among other former government personnel; and
    WHEREAS, the Court's bar has increased to more than 1,200 attorneys 
since 1989, with a number of these members specializing in veterans' 
law, and who have distinguished themselves in this area of practice and 
demonstrated their qualifications to serve on the Court; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, urges President Clinton to nominate the next judge of the 
Court of Veterans Appeals from among this qualified and distinguished 
group of veterans' practitioners.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 251--LEGISLATIVE

     to encourage all disabled veterans to become registered voters
    WHEREAS, the Disabled American Veterans served their country during 
time of war in order to preserve the rights and privileges of life in 
this land of the free; and
    WHEREAS, one of the most precious of these rights is the right to 
vote; and
    WHEREAS, the failure of all disabled veterans to register and vote 
will result in diminution of their influence on their elected 
representatives, further resulting in a corresponding erosion of their 
VA benefits and services; and
    WHEREAS, because of their disabilities, disabled veterans have more 
difficulty than their nondisabled peers in complying with some of the 
stricter requirements in voter registration laws; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, encourage 100 percent of our members to become registered to 
vote and thereby strengthen our organization's ability to preserve and 
improve our system of veterans' benefits and services.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 252--LEGISLATIVE

  condemnation of public desecration of the flag of the united states
    WHEREAS, the U.S. Supreme Court, by a 5-4 decision, has ruled that 
public desecration of the American Flag, as a form of free speech and 
expression, is legal and permissible; and
    WHEREAS, the American Flag--``Old Glory''--is our National Ensign, 
the proud, courageous and beautiful symbol of our country's precious, 
free heritage; and
    WHEREAS, this symbol, in the form of our irreplaceable ``Stars and 
Stripes,'' has been carried and defended in battle, revered and 
cherished by its citizens and viewed as a beacon of hope and 
fulfillment by all the world since it was first unfurled at the birth 
of our Nation; and
    WHEREAS, the Constitutional First Amendment guarantee of freedom of 
speech was not intended by our Founding Fathers to enable individuals--
who do enjoy unfettered freedom to express their views, no matter how 
abhorrent, in both oral and written form--to publicly and 
contemptuously desecrate our beloved flag; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, shall go on record as condemning any individual or group who 
shall at any time publicly and willfully desecrate the flag of the 
United States.
                                 ______
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 276--ADMINISTRATIVE

              appreciation to national commander mcmasters
    WHEREAS, Thomas A. McMasters, III, has devoted himself to the cause 
of our Nation's service-connected wartime disabled veterans and their 
families; and
    WHEREAS, he has served the Disabled American Veterans in an 
exemplary fashion, rising to our organization's highest elected office, 
National Commander; and
    WHEREAS, during his tenure as National Commander, public support 
for veterans' programs has remained strong; and
    WHEREAS, under his leadership DAV maintained its strength of more 
than one million members; and
    WHEREAS, Commander McMasters has continued our commitment to 
service, with continued recruitment and training of new National 
Service Officers and with an updated, improved, and enhanced Structured 
and Continuing Training for National Service Officers; and
    WHEREAS, under his guidance, DAV has undertaken a new initiative to 
strengthen its management through Management and Leadership Training 
for current and potential managers; and
    WHEREAS, under his guidance DAV has remained a vanguard in the 
constant fight to protect and maintain veterans' earned benefits and 
defeated legislation which would have terminated compensation to 
certain mentally incompetent service-connected veterans; and
    WHEREAS, during his term, DAV donated 141 vans to the DAV 
Transportation Network and secured a gift of 11 additional vans from 
Ford Motor Company to transport veterans to and from VA medical 
facilities for much needed health care; and
    WHEREAS, Commander McMasters traveled, both home and abroad, 
countless miles to advance the cause of disabled veterans; and
    WHEREAS, Commander McMasters obtained respect and admiration 
throughout the veterans' community as an effective spokesman for this 
Nation's service-connected wartime disabled veterans and their 
families; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, recognizes the very special contributions of Thomas A. 
McMasters, III as DAV's National Commander and expresses our 
membership's appreciation to him for his invaluable services to the 
organization and disabled veterans; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we also extend our sincere appreciation 
and thanks to Commander McMasters' wife, Sandra McMasters, and his 
entire family for their support and sacrifices during his year as our 
National Commander.
                                 ______
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 277--ADMINISTRATIVE

  appreciation to all who are responsible for the success of the 75th 
                          national convention
    WHEREAS, the success for the 75th DAV National Convention convened 
in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 1, 1996, depends on the total 
cooperation and unselfish devotion of the State, county and local 
officials; and
    WHEREAS, the success of this National Convention is also attributed 
to the Department and local Chapters and Units of the DAV and DAVA, 
particularly to Convention Chairman Paul Benoit; and
    WHEREAS, we wish to commend all the news media for their 
encouragement and assistance at all of our Convention activities; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, expresses its sincere appreciation to all groups and/or 
agencies whose dedication to our principles has made our Convention a 
successful one; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we wish to extend to the citizens of 
New Orleans, Louisiana, our deepest gratitude for their personal 
interest in our great organization; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we wish to extend our appreciation to 
all of the distinguished guests who participated in our convention and 
support the ideals and principles of our great organization; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we extend our gratitude to the 
Convention Chairman, Paul Benoit, and his entire Committee for 
providing personalized assistance to our friends and delegates during 
our Convention stay.
                                 ______
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 278--ADMINISTRATIVE

 extend appreciation to the va medical center, new orleans, louisiana, 
            for the success of the 75th national convention
    WHEREAS, the success of the 75th National Convention convened in 
New Orleans, Louisiana, depended on the total cooperation and unselfish 
devotion of VA officials in Washington, D.C., and New Orleans, 
Louisiana; and
    WHEREAS, many delegates to our National Convention were in need of 
medical treatment and required the assistance of prosthetic equipment 
to attend the National Convention; and
    WHEREAS, in response to this, the health care officials from the VA 
Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, have staffed and maintained in 
the Convention hotel an excellent outpatient clinic and prosthetic 
service; and
    WHEREAS, the medical care and prosthetic services rendered to the 
delegates to this 75th National Convention have been extended to a most 
compassionate manner and has been of the highest quality; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, expresses its sincere appreciation to the VA Medical Center, 
New Orleans, Louisiana, whose dedication to the care and treatment of 
the delegates to this 75th National Convention has made our Convention 
a successful one.
                                 ------
                                 

                   RESOLUTION NO. 279--ADMINISTRATIVE

appreciation to the new orleans hilton riverside for the success of the 
                        75th national convention
    WHEREAS, the assistance and cooperation of the New Orleans Hilton 
Riverside was essential to the success of the 75th DAV National 
Convention, convened in New Orleans, Louisiana; and
    WHEREAS, the responsiveness of the hotel's employees to the 
requirements of the Convention was beyond compare, meriting the 
gratitude of the DAV's officers, delegates and staff; and
    WHEREAS, the courtesy of the hotel staff to the delegates and 
guests at the Convention was superb throughout the entire course of the 
National Convention; and
    WHEREAS, everyone associated with the hotel exhibited the highest 
degree of professionalism in all areas of their association with the 
National Convention; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, expresses its sincere gratitude to the New Orleans Hilton 
Riverside and all of its employees for their exceptional assistance in 
making the convention a tremendous success.
                                 ______
                                 
    Commander McMasters. Microphone 3. I recognize Microphone 
3.
    Mr. Herbert A. Parker. Point of information. My name is 
Herbert Parker. I'm commander, Chapter 81, North Miami Beach, 
Florida. There was a proposal, 076, that was passed, refused on 
the floor in this meeting. It was passed by the State of 
Florida, March on Washington. Let met elaborate very quickly. 
I'll not take too much of your time.
    We have all heard, since we've been here, of the bashing 
that we have been taking for years, especially from 1965 on, 
and what was going on, and what they propose to do now. Our 
proposal was to obtain the coordination and cooperation of all 
the veterans organizations in the United States for a march on 
Washington, not this moment.
    The reason for that is this: They said, ``Well, you're 
going with an atom bomb when you should use an M1.'' That's 
wrong, because comes the end of this election, we can rest 
assured that a lot of things are going to happen that we wished 
that we had done something.
    I'd like to explain one thing. I personally wrote 81 
letters to members of Congress. Do you know how many answers I 
got? Three! My one state senator, my local congressman and 
Jesse Helms. Incidentally, he's a Navy veteran.
    Commander McMasters. Okay, sir. Let me just do something 
first. I don't want to rule you out of order, because I can see 
definitely there's a lot of emotion in this.
    Mr. Parker. There is.
    Commander McMasters. What I do need, though, is I do need a 
motion to accept the report and support for that, and then we 
can get into discussion, and then I will allow some remarks.
    Mr. McCullough. I would like to discharge the committee 
also.
    Commander McMasters. And a motion, yes, to discharge the 
committee. I have the motion. I need the support. Mike 1.
    Mr. Harold Wiley. Harold Wiley, Department of Washington, 
Delegate 46, seconds it.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. We have a motion and a 
support. We're ready for discussion. Mike 2.
    Mr. George Nickolas. George Nickolas, Scott County Chapter 
2, Iowa. Under national security, there were two resolutions 
that were rejected as indicated as duplicate. They are in no 
way duplicate. One dealing with the maintenance of the National 
Guard at the strength prior to Desert Storm, not as it has been 
emasculated under the current administration. And the second 
one deals with peace through strength also dealing with the 
maintenance of our defense service at a reasonable level.
    They established a benchmark as opposed to a general 
statement of maintenance of strength. We are now in the muscle, 
not the fat of defense, and we're cutting deeper. The aspects 
of these things, I think, become a benchmark and not 
necessarily a duplicative effort.
    And I would request that they be set aside from the motion 
and be voted on separately. I so move to amend the motion to 
pull these out and vote on them separately.
    Commander McMasters. For Mike Number 2, do you know the 
numbers of those motions?
    Mr. Nickolas. I sure do: 058 and 059, titled one, ``Peace 
Through Strength,'' the second, ``Maintenance''--and I think 
misnomer of the person that wrote this up. It says ``current 
size.'' It is the size at the beginning of the Persian Gulf 
War.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. What I need you to do is to read 
the RESOLVED portion--oh, I'm sorry. The chairman will read 
that for you. He will read the RESOLVED portion. We will set 
those aside and consider the remainder of the report.
    Mr. McCullough. Are we doing this with the motion or----
    Commander McMasters. You're going to do it, but what we're 
going to do is set those particular resolutions aside, but we 
need you to read the RESOLVED portion of those particular 
resolutions.
    Mr. McCullough. Resolution 58. National Defense, Subject, 
Peace Through Strength.

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American 
        Veterans in National Convention assembled in New Orleans, adopt 
        this resolution calling upon the President, the Secretary of 
        Defense and the Congress to maintain a strong military and to 
        increase the air and sea lift capabilities of our military 
        service in order that America can respond to any demand for 
        conventional military force in a short period of time; and
          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that copies of this resolution 
        be provided to the Speaker of the U.S. House of 
        Representatives, president of the U.S. Senate, chairmen of the 
        House and Senate Ways and Means Committees, Armed Services 
        Committees and the President of the United States.

    Member. Point of order. Mike 1. Shouldn't we be finishing 
up with the ones already accepted, finish that off and then go 
by one by one, because there is a motion on the floor and 
there's been a second?
    Commander McMasters. No, sir. At this point, I'm not 
considering this to be out of order. We're setting up what's 
called a minority report.
    Member. Is this part of the total resolutions?
    Commander McMasters. This will be part of normal procedure. 
What will happen is these particular resolutions will be set 
aside from consideration by the main motion. We will then 
consider the main motion and then consider the minority reports 
that we're setting up at this point.
    Member. Thank you.
    Commander McMasters. Continue, John, please.
    Mr. McCullough. Resolution 59. National Defense, Subject, 
To Maintain the Current Size of the Federal Reserve and 
National Guard.

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American 
        Veterans urge Congress to build and maintain the Federal 
        Reserve and National Guard Units at the level in existence at 
        the beginning of the Persian Gulf War, and to modernize them 
        with the latest and best equipment, aircraft, artillery, 
        missiles; and
          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that copies of this resolution 
        be provided to the President of the United States, Speaker of 
        the U.S. House of Representatives, president of the United 
        States Senate, and chairmen of the House and Senate Armed 
        Services Committees.

    Now, do I read the original motion that we approved to make 
this comparison?
    Commander McMasters. Not at this point.
    I'm going to go back now to Mike 3, the gentleman from 
Florida. Would you continue along the same lines? What we're 
doing is basically setting up a minority report for 
consideration of that resolution separately from the motion 
that's on the floor at this point.
    Mr. Parker. I was going to have this request and also, as 
the others were considered as a motion, that this would be 
reconsidered also as a motion. Now, very quickly, let me say 
this----
    Commander McMasters. No. What I want done now is give me 
the number. I will have the chairman read the THEREFORE, BE IT 
RESOLVED part of the resolution, for lack of a better way to 
describe it.
    Mr. Parker. 076.
    Commander McMasters. 076. Okay, John, would you please read 
that portion that calls for action.
    Mr. McCullogh. Is this Resolution Number 76?
    Commander McMasters. Yes.
    Mr. McCullough. 

        THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that this convention go on record 
        that it recommends to the National Disabled American Veterans 
        to explore the possibility of organizing a march on Washington. 
        Such a march should be coordinated with other concerned and 
        interested veterans groups. Adopted at the Department of 
        Florida State Convention, June 8, 1996.

    Commander McMasters. Okay. Thank you, John.
    Now, what we're going to do is we're going to consider the 
main motion that was offered by John McCullough to adopt the 
report, and we're going to set aside those three resolutions 
that we've set up minority reports for and consider them 
separately after this. Are you ready for the questions?
    Mr. Nickolas. Point of order. Your main motion indicates 
that the committee will be dismissed. If the committee is 
dismissed, I believe it would be out of order to consider the 
three that are set aside.
    Commander McMasters. What's going to happen at that point 
is the committee is going to be dismissed. Your resolutions are 
going to then be considered by the convention floor. Okay?
    Are we ready for the main motion? Ready for the question? 
All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. It's carried.
    Now, I'm going to ask for discussion on Resolution 58. I'm 
going to ask for a report from one of the members of the 
committee to help us understand what the committee went through 
when they considered this particular resolution.
    Mr. McCullough. At this time, I would defer to the advisors 
on the discussion we had regarding these resolutions at 
committee.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you and your committee for the 
work that you've done, John. [Applause.]
    Mr. Surratt. Okay. As I understand it, Commander, you want 
an explanation of Resolution Number 58?
    Commander McMasters. Number 58. We're going to discuss 58 
at this point.
    Mr. Surratt. I'm Rick Surratt, assistant national 
legislative director and an advisor to this committee. [Cries 
of ``Can't hear you.'']
    Commander McMasters. You know, Rick, before we do this, I 
think what we'd better do is get a motion on the floor.
    At this time, I'm going to entertain a motion to consider--
Mike Number 2.
    Mr. Nickolas. I move to adopt the Peace Through Strength, 
058 resolution. George Nickolas, Scott County Chapter Number 2.
    Commander McMasters. Is there support? Mike Number 3.
    NEC 10th District Lowell G. McKeehan. Lowell McKeehan, past 
department commander of Michigan, supports.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. We have a motion and support to 
adopt the Resolution 58. I'm going to start the discussion with 
one of the committee advisors, Rick Surratt. Rick.
    Mr. Surratt. Again, I'm Rick Surratt, assistant national 
legislative director and one of the committee advisors on this 
committee. We actually had three resolutions dealing with 
national security. We had 58; another resolution which was 
adopted by our Interim Legislative Committee, and that was 
supporting a strong national defense. That's the one we have 
virtually every year. We had a third resolution on this area 
maintaining the current size of the Federal Reserve and the 
National Guard.
    Number 58 was rejected merely because it was a duplicate of 
the one that the Interim Legislative Committee forwarded to 
this convention committee.
    Commander McMasters. Mike Number 2, I'm going to give you a 
chance for rebuttal.
    Mr. Nickolas. Mike Number 2, Scott County Chapter 2, 
Davenport, Iowa, George Nickolas. The point is, I think that 
it's ambiguous to say support a national defense, but of what 
size? And I'm being specific about enlarging the air lift 
capability and the merchant fleet. You know, during the Gulf 
War, our reserve fleet kind of broke down going out of port. So 
what I'm saying is, let's look at that from a standpoint of 
being able to deliver the goods and services to the troops in 
the field. And we need to rebuild that capability. We don't 
have it today.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. is there any further discussion 
on Resolution 58? Any further discussion on Resolution Number 
58? Are we ready for the question? The question is to adopt 
Resolution Number 58. All in favor, signify by Aye; all 
opposed. The motion fails.
    The Chair will now entertain a motion on Resolution Number 
59. Mike number 2.
    Mr. Nickolas. George Nickolas, Scott County Chapter 2 moves 
the adoption of 059 dealing with the maintenance of the 
National Guard and the Reserve units at the level in existence 
on the day the Persian Gulf War began.
    Commander McMasters. Do we have a support for the motion?
    Mr. Russ Bain. Bain, Scott County Chapter 2, seconds, from 
Iowa.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. We have a motion and support. 
I'm going to again ask one of the committee advisors for the 
discussion of the committee.
    Mr. Surratt. Okay. Again, we adopted Resolution Number 249 
which supports a strong national defense. Resolution Number 59, 
which speaks specifically to the Reserves and National Guard 
would be subsumed in the broader resolution. Another reason 
that we usually don't adopt these types of resolutions in the 
committee is because they are targeted to specific defense 
actions, like supporting the B1 bomber or certain ships, or 
things of that nature. We're not experts in national defense in 
the DAV.
    Our primary mission is to work for service-connected 
disabled veterans and their benefits, although we are a 
patriotic organization, and we do have a general stance to 
support a strong national defense.
    But again, 59 was rejected as a duplicate because it would 
be subsumed in the broader resolution that we adopted. That 
again was an interim committee resolution.
    Commander McMasters. Mike Number 2.
    Mr. Nickolas. General Somerville, after World War II, made 
a statement, I think, that's profound and applies. He says that 
to defend your country, one must maintain in a period of 
peacetime a force sufficient to deter an enemy act. The aspect 
of cutting the Reserve units down--and they are being cut 
down--to a level pre-World War II, pre-Persian gulf, to me is 
unconscionable.
    I think that we as an organization must maintain a strong 
defense which includes the Reserve, but by making a general 
statement, you give no benchmark as to the level of a defense 
that's necessary. You know, the bottom-up review that was done 
by the President said we should have 14 divisions to maintain a 
two and a half front war. We are at ten, and those divisions 
are not full strength. They don't even have adequate equipment.
    During the Persian Gulf, we begged Japan to supply 
components for our F15 to keep them flying. You know, what 
we've done in fact is disarmed America while some other 
countries have not disarmed. If you don't read the right 
publications, Defense News, International Armed Services, and 
etcetera, you don't get the flavor of this. But the Russians 
are still modernizing; we're not.
    Commander McMasters. Is there any further discussion on 
Resolution 59? Any further discussion on Resolution 59? Are we 
ready for the question? Okay. The question is to adopt 
Resolution Number 59. All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. 
The motion fails.
    The Chair will now entertain a motion concerning Resolution 
Number 76. Mike 3.
    NEC McKeehan. Lowell McKeehan, past Department of Michigan, 
so moves.
    Commander McMasters. I'm sorry. I need a definite action 
what you want us to take. I'm entertaining a motion concerning 
Resolution Number 76. I didn't ask for any direction whether to 
adopt or reject, and that's what we're looking for.
    NEC McKeehan. Adopt. For the march on Washington?
    Commander McMasters. Are you going to make the motion, sir?
    NEC McKeehan. Did you want a motion to adopt that or----
    Commander McMasters. What I'm asking for is a motion to 
direct us to take some kind of action on Resolution 76, whether 
to adopt or reject. Which way would you prefer to be, sir?
    NEC McKeehan. I make a motion--Lowell McKeehan, past 
department commander of Michigan, make a motion that we reject.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. Lowell, just as a matter of 
record, what I actually need is your chapter that you're 
representing.
    NEC McKeehan. Lavonia Chapter 114, Michigan.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. Thank you. That was a motion to 
reject. Is there support? Is there support? There is a motion 
to reject. Is there support? Okay. The motion dies for lack of 
support.
    Is there a motion to consider?
    Mr. Alfred L. Hindes. Hindes of Michigan will make that 
motion to adopt.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. Can I have your--state your full 
credentials, Al.
    Mr. Hindes. Chapter 3, Michigan.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. Al Hines, Chapter 3, Michigan, 
moves to adopt Resolution 76. Is that what I heard? That's 
correct. Is there support?
    Mr. Parker. I second it.
    Commander McMasters. Can I have a name, please?
    Mr. Parker. North Miami Beach Chapter 81, Herb Parker.
    Commander McMasters. We have a motion with a support to 
adopt Resolution 76. At this time, I'm going to ask Rick 
Surratt to provide discussion from the committee's viewpoint.
    Mr. Surratt. Your Committee on General Resolutions rejected 
this resolution because--many reasons. those of you that were 
in here earlier today and heard Mr. Gorman's, the executive 
director's report, heard him say that we have a lot of 
credibility in Washington. We have that because we only fight 
when we have a real fight. We don't get involved in things that 
don't warrant putting the credibility of the organization 
behind, and a march on Washington right now, in the committee's 
view, is unwarranted.
    One of the major problems with a march on Washington is, 
first of all, we don't really have any issue that is so drastic 
that we need to do that. that's something that we need to 
reserve for the darkest day. While things are not as good as 
they could be, we don't have that situation right now. We would 
be crying wolf, in our view, if we marched on Washington.
    Beyond that, it would not be solely a DAV move. Many 
organizations could be involved in that. Many things that could 
happen in Washington wouldn't necessarily reflect well on the 
DAV. If you had, for example, a very radical veterans movement, 
there could be flag burning. There could be all kinds of acts 
that wouldn't reflect well on veterans.
    So a march is something that could have adverse 
consequences. In other words, we could turn the tide of public 
opinion against us, rather than our favor, if it wasn't handled 
properly. And since it wouldn't be handled by the DAV alone, we 
don't have control over what could happen. So I think we would 
be well advised to be very careful to do anything like that, 
especially as long as we're doing fairly well on the 
legislative front, and it's just not warranted.
    If they were to say--if Congress were to attempt to take 
away our compensation or something of that nature, then we 
might revisit that issue. But today a march on Washington is 
just not warranted. And that's what your committee that you 
elected, your General Resolutions Committee, almost 
overwhelmingly--I think there was one vote in favor of this 
motion--rejected it.
    Commander McMasters. Okay, thank you.
    Mike Number 3. Any further discussion, sir?
    Mr. Parker. Well, the only thing I'm going to say is this: 
When I cry wolf, it's just the idea, it's just the idea of 
this, of making them cognizant of the fact we're just not 
laying on our backs, that there is a tentative feeling amongst 
the veterans of America that this can be done and will be done, 
should the day come that we have to do it. And that alone, I'm 
sure, can get back to them to know that the veterans, when push 
comes to shoving, we're there, and we will be there.
    You know, five million veterans marching is a lot more than 
what the others have done. And this is what we intended to 
bring to mind. It wasn't the intent to march like now. It was 
just the sense of knowing that the veterans organizations are 
united, should it ever come, and it may come to it yet. We 
don't know what's going to happen after this election or the 
next. Because we all know what's been happening over the years. 
They've been cutting down, cutting down.
    And we know what's in the books right now, what they're 
going to do to the veterans hospitals.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. For the purpose of the record, 
will you please state your name and your credentials again.
    Mr. Parker. Herbert A. Parker, North Miami Beach Chapter, 
Florida 81.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you very much.
    Is there any further discussion? Mike Number 3.
    Mr. Eduardo Posada. Yes, Comrade Chairman. Ed Posada from 
Florida, Chapter 3. As the adjutant for District 12, I had the 
responsibility of drafting the resolution. I apologize it 
wasn't clear enough, but I think we're going to make it clearer 
if it's necessary. But as the recipient of benefits at the VA 
hospital in Miami, let me tell you something. The other day, 
for instance, I have to get medication. Well, they couldn't 
give me----
    Commander McMasters. Okay, sir, we understand that, but 
that's not the resolution.
    Mr. Posada. Let me give you an idea, please. Let me finish. 
I've got five minutes, right? I'm not going to take the five 
minutes, sir. I just want to tell you this much. When the lady, 
the pharmacist, told me look, ``They cut us $700,000 in this 
hospital,'' just to give you an example of what's happening 
across the country--when Jesse Brown stood here yesterday and 
told us about changes like taxing compensation, pensions and 
terminating compensation for veterans rated 10 and 20 percent 
disabled, all of those things have been on the floor. This may 
still happen.
    Commander, you yourself here yesterday, when you had those 
things up there, what you had on the Internet, which is half 
joke, half serious, things may happen.
    We're not asking that we get on the buses tomorrow morning. 
We're simply saying we should get ready in case we have to. It 
doesn't say we have to go tomorrow. We say if it's feasible. 
You look at the resolution--I think it wasn't read correctly. 
If feasible.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. Thank you for your thoughts on 
that.
    Is there anyone that wants to speak opposing the 
resolution, opposing the adoption of the resolution? Okay. The 
motion that we're going to consider, the motion on the floor, 
is a motion to adopt Resolution Number 76. Do we all understand 
what we're voting on? Are we ready for the question? We're 
ready for the question? All in favor, signify by Aye; all 
opposed. The motion fails.
    Thank you very much.
    For the record, the convention has already discharged the 
General Resolutions Committee by their motion to adopt the 
report of the committee.
    At this time, I'm going to call on our National Employment 
Director, Ronald Drach for his presentation of Employment 
Awards.
    Mr. Ronald W. Drach. Thank you, Commander. Good afternoon. 
It's my honor and pleasure to be able to again recognize the 
Outstanding Disabled Veterans Outreach Program Specialist, 
commonly called DVOP, for the year 1996. These DVOP specialists 
provide intense one-on-one employment assistance to men and 
women who became disabled as a result of their military 
service.
    Our recipient this year is a retired U.S. Army major who 
served tours of duty in Europe and Vietnam and was awarded the 
Purple Heart, two bronze stars, and several other military 
decorations.
    He began his second career as a DVOP specialist in 
Pennsylvania in 1993. Our recipient provides both 
individualized employment and training services to veterans and 
has established job-hunting seminars and workshops throughout 
the Upper Lackawanna and all of Susquehanna Counties. Only us 
Pennsylvanians can pronounce those two names.
    Additionally, he does extensive outreach to include 
visiting employers and encourages them to contact the 
Carbondale Job Center if job opportunities for veterans become 
available.
    During 1995, he worked with the Governor's Outreach Center, 
the Federal and State Veterans Affairs Departments and veterans 
service organizations to develop the first Veterans Outreach 
Program at the Montrose Job Center.
    He is a life member of DAV Chapter Number 11 in Dixon, 
Pennsylvania.
    National Commander McMasters, delegates and guests, I am 
pleased to present to you our Outstanding DVOP Specialist for 
this year from Carbondale, Pennsylvania, Francis J. ``Frank'' 
Paris. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. The inscription is, ``Disabled 
American Veterans proudly recognizes the contributions made by 
Francis Paris, DVOP, Carbondale, Pennsylvania, for your 
outstanding accomplishments and your dedication in assisting 
disabled veterans to obtain employment and training 
opportunities and for your contributions to the Disabled 
Veterans Outreach program. July 29th, 1996.'' This is signed by 
both myself and National Adjutant Arthur Wilson. [Applause.]
    Mr. Frank J. Paris. I'm going to make this real short. 
Isn't this great? This is the most outstanding award I've 
received in my life, and I just think we all go back home with 
one thing in mind: Let's make every day veterans' day and let's 
get those vets employed. Thank you very much. [Applause.]
    Mr. Drach. We also recognize the office which employs the 
nation's Outstanding Disabled Veterans' Outreach Program 
Specialist. Like the LVER, it is virtually impossible for the 
DVOP to do an outstanding job of assisting disabled veterans 
without the complete support of all the employees. So again, we 
will recognize the office which employs Mr. Paris.
    Regrettably, no one from the office could be here to accept 
the award, so Mr. Paris will accept it on behalf of the entire 
office also. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. The inscription reads, ``The Disabled 
American Veterans proudly recognizes the Carbondale Job Center, 
Carbondale, Pennsylvania for distinguished service to our 
nation's disabled veterans in ensuring them the opportunity to 
lead productive lives by pursuing meaningful careers. July 
29th, 1996.'' Signed by myself and again, National Adjutant 
Arthur Wilson. [Applause.]
    Mr. Paris. We may be a small office in a rural community, 
in a coal cracking community, but we have the heart and the 
desire of a lion. Again, thank you very much. [Applause.]
    Mr. Drach. Our top local veterans employment representative 
for 1996 works in the State of Washington at the Tri-City's Job 
Service Center. He is being recognized for his key role in the 
community as an advocate for veterans and for helping them find 
suitable jobs and training. LVERs are responsible for assuring 
that job-seeking veterans receive needed services to improve 
their employment prospects.
    Our recipient this year served on active duty in the Navy 
for 30 years, and prior to his recent retirement, was head of 
the Job Center's Veterans Unit Team which consistently met or 
exceeded all federal performance standards in assisting 
veterans in their job search efforts. During the past four 
years, 70 percent of all veterans registered with the Job 
Center found employment. A 50 percent service-connected 
disabled veteran himself, he has worked closely with other 
disabled veterans, finding employment or job opportunities for 
more than 100 disabled veterans a year.
    Part of his success comes from his continued contacts with 
employers and civic, fraternal and veterans organizations to 
publicize the center's services and find new employment 
opportunities for veterans. He also chaired the State Veterans 
Training Conference.
    His dedication to his fellow veterans also earned him an 
award in 1995 as the Outstanding Employee of the Year from the 
Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs, primarily for 
his work with the Benton/Franklin Veterans Service Coalition's 
``Stand Down'' for homeless veterans.
    Our recipient this year is a life member of DAV Chapter 
Number 46, Tri-Cities, Washington.
    National Commander McMasters, delegates and guests, it is 
my pleasure to present to you the nation's Outstanding LVER for 
1996, James E. McCormick of Pasco, Washington. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. ``The Disabled American Veterans 
proudly presents the National Commander's Ward to the nation's 
Outstanding Local Veterans Employment Representative, James E. 
McCormick, Pasco, Washington, for your outstanding dedication 
and distinguished employment assistance to our nation's 
service-connected disabled veterans and other veterans. Dated 
July 29, 1996.'' Signed by myself and National Adjutant Arthur 
Wilson. [Applause.]
    Mr. James E. McCormick. I'm usually not at a loss for 
words, but this is a tremendous award, and I wish to thank Ron 
and the members of the Awards Committee for the selection. I 
appreciate it. Thank you much. [Applause.]
    Mr. Drach. As we have done in the past, we wish to 
recognize the entire office where the local veterans employment 
representative is employed. We all know that the LVER cannot 
accomplish the goals and objectives without support of the 
entire office staff. Working together as a cohesive unit 
assures job-seeking veterans, especially disabled veterans, 
receive needed services.
    Here to accept the award is Mr. J.C. Cordero. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. The inscription reads, ``The Disabled 
American Veterans proudly recognizes the Tri-Cities Job Service 
Center at Pasco, Washington for distinguished service to our 
nation's disabled veterans in ensuring them the opportunity to 
lead productive lives by pursuing meaningful careers. Dated 
July 29th, 1996.'' Signed by myself and again National Adjutant 
Arthur Wilson. [Applause.]
    Mr. J.C. Cordero. It's a privilege and an honor to be with 
you here today, and already I can tell you Jim's been retired 
about one month today, and I just wanted to say that with his 
retirement, our commitment to veterans' programs has not been 
retired. So I am here to promise to you our continued 
commitment and support of veterans' services in our local 
community of Tri-Cities in the State of Washington. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    Mr. Drach. Of course, the work of the LVERs and DVOPs would 
not be complete if there weren't employers out there who were 
willing and able to hire disabled veterans. For that reason, we 
recognize employers.
    Our Outstanding Large Employer of the Year comes to us from 
Fort Hood, Texas. The recipient this year is a large employer 
with sites throughout the country. When they were awarded a 
large government contract in June of 1995 to provide aircraft 
maintenance, logistics and modification services to the U.S. 
Army, they had only one month to begin operations at Fort Hood. 
Despite this short time frame, this firm, headquartered in 
Reston, Virginia, demonstrated its commitment to hiring 
disabled veterans. Its Fort Hood work force includes 49 
disabled veterans, 12 of whom have conditions rated at 30 
percent or more disabling. More than 200 Vietnam Era veterans 
were hired during that same time.
    Disabled veterans were not given just entry-level jobs; 
they were put into positions at all levels in the organization, 
upper and middle management, direct-line supervisors, 
maintenance operations crew and support staff. This firm 
clearly recognizes that disabled veterans can and do make a 
significant contribution to its operations and has set a high 
standard for hiring disabled veterans.
    Commander McMasters, delegates and guests, our recipient of 
the Large Employer of the Year Award is Dyncorp, Fort Hood, 
Texas, and here to accept the award is Jim Herbert, branch 
manager. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. I'll read the inscription. ``The 
Disabled American Veterans National Commander's Award is 
presented to the Outstanding Large Employer of the Year, 
Dyncorp, Fort Hood, Texas, for conspicuous and meritorious 
effort in providing employment opportunities for disabled 
veterans; further, that consistent and noteworthy efforts will 
serve as an inspiration and challenge to other employers. Dated 
July 29th, 1996.'' Signed by myself and National Adjutant 
Arthur Wilson. [Applause.]
    Mr. Jim Hebert. I've only three quick things I'd like to 
say. Number 1, any organization that does not look into the 
veterans and disabled veterans as a place to find the top-notch 
help that they need is either doing it voluntarily or 
involuntarily, and they don't know what they're missing. 
[Applause.]
    Number 2, I'll take this back to Fort Hood and let our 
employees see it, and it'll be displayed in a very prominent 
place.
    And Number 3, while my fellow employees at Fort Hood will 
be very receptive and very proud of this, they do not have the 
heartfelt feeling that I feel at this moment, looking on the 
faces of all of you.
    Thank you very much for you and your commanders. 
[Applause.]
    Mr. Drach. A Department of Veterans Affairs VA Regional 
Office has been selected as our Outstanding Small Employer of 
the Year for 1996.
    Many would expect the VA to be a leader in the employment 
of veterans and disabled veterans. This is true, because the VA 
leads the nation in employment of veterans. However, what makes 
this particular regional office unique is that of their 165 
employees, 50, 30 percent, are disabled veterans. As I said, 
that represents more than 30 percent of their total work force.
    We all know that over the last couple of years, there have 
been hiring freezes on federal agencies, and most recently 
because of down-sizing efforts there has not been a lot of new 
hiring. However, during the last half of 1995 before a hiring 
freeze was imposed on the office, 50 percent of all the new 
employees were disabled veterans. One out of every five of 
these new hires had a disability rating of more than 30 
percent.
    By the very nature of its mission, this VA office is a 
community leader in advancing the interests and promoting the 
hiring of veterans and disabled veterans. Disabled veterans 
employed at this regional office occupy positions at all levels 
of responsibility and in a wide variety of occupations.
    Success in disabled veterans' employment comes in part from 
federal requirements that all federal agencies give priority to 
employing disabled veterans. But, administrators and staff over 
time at this VA office have demonstrated a clear pattern of 
exceptional effort and accomplishments in considering and 
hiring disabled veterans.
    National Commander McMasters, delegates and guests, our 
recipient of the Small Employer of the Year Award is the VA 
Regional Office, Columbia, South Carolina. Here to accept the 
award is the regional office director, Mr. R. Stedman Sloan, 
Jr. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. The inscription: ``The Disabled 
American Veterans National Commander's Award is presented to 
the Outstanding Small Employer of the Year, the Department of 
Veterans Affairs Regional Office, Columbia, South Carolina for 
conspicuous and meritorious effort in providing employment 
opportunities for disabled veterans; further, that such 
consistent and noteworthy efforts will serve as an inspiration 
and challenge to other employers. Dated July 29th, 1996.'' 
Thank you, sir. [Applause.]
    Mr. R. Stedman Sloan, Jr. Commander McMasters, Chairman 
Drach, delegates to the National Convention: I feel 
particularly privileged to attend your convention in New 
Orleans this year, and honored to receive this award, which I 
do on behalf of the employees of the regional office in 
Columbia, and particularly those disabled veterans who are at 
this very moment providing service to their fellow veterans in 
a variety of programs meeting their needs.
    I'd like to recognize at this time the human resource 
officer for the Columbia office who has played a major role in 
our success in hiring disabled veterans, Bill Wykert. 
[Applause.]
    I can tell you this afternoon that we hire disabled 
veterans because of their personal characteristics of a great 
sense of responsibility, a dedication to serving their nation, 
and compassion for their fellow veterans. But the real reason 
that we hire disabled veterans in our office is because it's 
the right thing to do. We've done it over the years. We'll do 
it in the future.
    They provide a valuable resource to our nation, and we 
recognize it in Columbia, and we feel privileged that we have 
the opportunity to put meaning to those words, putting veterans 
first.
    Thank you very much. [Applause.]
    Mr. Drach. Mr. Commander, that completes the awards, but if 
I may just for a second, for purposes of recognition, I would 
like to have stand the Assistant Secretary of Labor for 
Veterans Employment and Training, Preston Taylor. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Ron.
    It is now my great pleasure to introduce a man who I once 
called National Commander, a man who distinguished himself 
during his 1983-84 term as commander. He is a man who 
epitomizes the very best of the DAV, a man who has always 
reached out in friendship to disabled veterans and their 
families.
    And today he serves as the president of the Board of the 
DAV Vietnam Veterans National Memorial at Angel Fire, New 
Mexico. As such, he has eloquently led the affairs of the 
memorial, which stands as a moving tribute to the dignity of 
the men and women who fought and sacrificed so much in Vietnam. 
This moving memorial reflects not only the grief of those who 
died in war, but the prayer for peace in all of us, and a 
promise of hope for America's future.
    Please join me in welcoming Past National Commander and DAV 
Vietnam Veterans National Memorial President Dennis Joyner. 
[Applause.]
    Mr. Dennis Joyner. Thank you, Commander McMasters. National 
Commander Tom McMasters, Adjutant Art Wilson, distinguished 
guests, delegates and friends: It is my pleasure to speak with 
you here today about the DAV Vietnam Veterans National 
Memorial.
    But before I present my remarks, I'd first like to 
introduce our Board of Directors. In addition to myself, 
there's Bruce Hansen, who serves as vice-president. I believe 
Bruce is up here. We have Al Linden, who's secretary-treasurer; 
Enid Zysk; and Ray Hall. And in addition, Nancy O'Brien from 
National Headquarters in Cincinnati serves as our 
administrator. We want to thank her.
    Rather than present a prolonged report, though, I though 
I'd like to show you a film that we have prepared since our 
last national convention. I'm sure that you'll find the film 
speaks very powerfully of the memorial, its mission and its 
meaning to America's veterans. Would you please lower the 
lights?
    [Video presentation.]
    Mr. Joyner. I would just say that that's a very, moving 
film, and those letters that were read in the film were letters 
that have been sent to the memorial, just a few of the many, 
many letters and photos that we have on hand.
    We on the memorial's Board of Directors are particularly 
proud of that film and hope that it will help to spread the 
memorials message throughout the nation.
    And here today we would like to ask you, our members, for a 
little bit of help. The memorial's archives still need to find 
more photographs of men and women who died in Vietnam. We need 
those photos to carry out that part of our mission that 
involves the war's dead. So if any of you know any families in 
your communities who have lost a loved one in Vietnam who has 
given that ultimate sacrifice, maybe you could help us by 
contacting them and see if they would be willing to provide a 
photo for us to display at the memorial.
    However, at the memorial we've always seen it as a mission, 
a living mission also, not only a mission to those who lived to 
come home from Southeast Asia, but to our society as a whole. 
That's why I'm pleased to report that we've completed some very 
necessary upgrades for our interactive educational exhibit in 
the memorial's visitors center. You just can't believe how much 
this exhibit, and indeed our whole visitors center, means to 
those who come to see us in Angel Fire.
    It's a moving experience, almost as moving as the chapel 
itself, for veterans and their families. And for those who 
don't know much about the war and its consequences, we provide 
an experience that they'll never forget.
    Highlights of this past year included our Memorial Day 
program that featured an eloquent keynote address by Bill 
Demby, who many of you may remember as a Vietnam veteran who 
lost a leg there, and he was in a DuPont commercial that was 
seen playing on TV where he was playing basketball on his 
prosthesis.
    It's been a very good year for the memorial, and I want to 
thank all of you in the DAV and the Auxiliary for that success.
    Commander McMasters, this concludes my report. But at this 
time, there are two things I would like to do. First, I would 
like to make just a small presentation to a member of our Board 
that has been very helpful, especially to Nancy O'Brien and I 
over the years. As you can imagine, managing a memorial that is 
a couple of thousand miles away from Headquarters takes an 
extreme effort, and at times we've had to send our secretary-
treasurer, Al Linden, out to the memorial. And each time that 
he goes out, he never fails to talk to us--Al, maybe you could 
come forward--about a special place that he passes on the way 
up to Angel Fire called Camel Rock.
    And Al, we happened to find this picture and memorial of 
you standing in front of Camel Rock, and we'd like to present 
this, Nancy and I and the entire Board. Congratulations. 
[Applause.]
    As you know, many of our members like to make contributions 
to the memorial following this report. I'd like to begin that 
process here today by inviting Ms. June Springer, the commander 
of the DAV Department of Virginia, to the podium with the 
department adjutant, Mr. Dave Tannenbaum. The chapters in 
Virginia, as well as the department itself have been busy at 
work building support for the DAV Vietnam Veterans National 
Memorial, and I've been told that they have quite a surprise 
for us. Commander Springer.
    Ms. June Springer. Last year, many members of the 
Department of Virginia visited the Angel Fire memorial, and 
when they came back, it was with solitude and majesty and the 
aura that the memorial provided them. Also after all of these 
visits, the Department of Virginia asked many of the chapters 
if they would support and have a fund-raising effort to support 
the memorial.
    The response was overwhelming. I would like to take just a 
moment to read into the record the following contributions that 
were received. From the Lester Gordon Chapter 2, $300; from 
Norfolk Chapter 4, $25; from the Murray Ray Peninsula Chapter 
Number 6, $855; from the Campbell Lynchburg Chapter Number 8, 
$540; from Arlington Fairfax Chapter 10, $750; from Mount 
Vernon Chapter 11, $100; from the York County Victory Chapter 
13, $200; from Salem Vietnam Veterans Chapter 14, $400; Prince 
William County Chapter Number 15, $500; Archer Gannon Chapter 
Number 19, $500; Virginia Beach Chapter 20, $100; Portsmouth 
Chapter 27, $160; Galax Chapter 37, $120; Craddock Chapter 41, 
$300; Paul Love Chapter 44, $400; Grayson County Chapter 49, 
$40; General Anthony Wayne Chapter 58, $125; and the Department 
of Virginia, $4,000.
    We propose that this contribution be used as the seed for 
an endowment fund designed to make the memorial self-
sufficient, and we would like to challenge all other 
departments to join us in this worthy effort. Will you all help 
us?
    I would like to ask Past Department Commander Melton, also 
Enid Zysk, the Board member, and the department adjutant, Dave 
Tannenbaum, to assist in making this presentation of this check 
in the amount of $10,000. [Applause.]
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you.
    I have also been given checks from Don Pouliot from 
California for $50; Tri-County Chapter 67 in Pennsylvania, 
which is the home chapter of our 3rd National Junior Vice-
Commander Andy Kistler, $500; and over 4th National Junior 
Vice-Commander Dobmeier, $50.
    Are there any other?
    Judge Advocate Edward G. Galian. The Department of New York 
most humbly offers and donates to you at this time from its 
meager assets $1,000.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you very much.
    Member. Dennis, on behalf of the Department of California, 
it gives me great pleasure to present to you a check for $1,000 
from California.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you very much.
    Member. On behalf of the officers and members of DAV 
Chapter Number 1, St. Louis, Missouri and the DAV Ladies 
Auxiliary, we're happy to present to the DAV Vietnam Memorial 
Veterans Fund $100.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you very much.
    Member. On behalf of the Department of Maryland, we wish to 
present a check to you, president, for your support of $1,000.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you.
    Mr. Walter H. Wessing. National Commander, Past National 
Commander Dennis Joyner, I'm a little bitty guy. I don't know 
my name, but I'm a Missouri boy. This money I give comes from 
my heart. It don't come from the chapter. It comes from me. So 
now I'm going to give the taxes first--I generally do--and give 
you the money later on. So here's four quarters, and I've got 
some more. Don't spend it in the gambling club. One hundred 
dollars, $200. Commander and Past Dennis, that's my every year. 
If I can next year, I'll maybe give a little bit more, because 
I'll be in Vegas, and that's where I hit the money. Walter 
Wessing, Chapter Number 2, Kansas City, Missouri.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you, Walter.
    Mr. Richard Christopher. Richard Christopher, Chapter 115, 
Saugus, Mass., would like to make a personal donation of $300.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you.
    Member. Chapter Number 1, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, would 
like to donate a hundred dollars.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you.
    Member. On behalf of the State Department of Missouri, I'd 
like to donate $200.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you.
    Member. On behalf of the State of Kansas, this is Chapter 
4, I'd like to donate $500; on the Department of the State of 
Kansas, I'd like to donate another $500.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you very much.
    Mr. H. G. Krosschell. The State of South Dakota Department, 
$250. H. G. Krosschell, Department of South Dakota.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you.
    Mr. Edward M. Swan. My name is Commander Edward Swan from 
DAV Chapter Keene-Rankin in Metro Detroit, Chapter 1. I would 
like to give a hundred dollars. And somebody lost their son for 
me to be able to make it back home to Detroit, and I just keep 
praying that we all keep trying to help as much as we can. I 
made it back because someone lost their life.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you.
    Member. Commander, Past Commander, on behalf of Chapter 32 
from the State of Oklahoma, I give you $100.
    Mr. Joyner. Thank you very much.
    I thank each and every one of you for your continued 
support, not only today but throughout the year to the 
memorial.
    Mr. John F. Houston. Comrade Commander, John Houston, past 
department commander, Chapter 19, Indiana. I'd also like to 
make a comment on that, that the shirts that they have on sale, 
also the jackets, the pins and the copies of the tapes you've 
just seen, which I bought one, the proceeds also go towards 
this memorial.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you.
    We'll now entertain a motion to accept the report of the 
president of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Angel Fire. Mike 
Number 1.
    Mr. Richard J. Hennesey. PDC Hennesey, Department of 
Connecticut, moves acceptance of the report.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. Is there support? Mike 
Number 3.
    Mr. Robert Melcher. Bob Melcher, senior vice-commander of 
the State of Florida, seconds that.
    Commander McMasters. Are you ready for the question? Ready 
for the question? All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. That's 
carried.
    At this time, I'll call on the Constitution and Bylaws 
Committee for the first reading of the amendments to the 
National Constitution and Bylaws. Tom Daley.
    Mr. Thomas J. Daley. This is the report for the National 
Convention Committee on Constitution and Bylaws. Comrade 
Commander and delegates: The National Convention Committee on 
Constitution and Bylaws was called to order at its first 
business session on July 29th, 1996 by the committee advisors, 
Fred Bristol and Edward Galian.
    The first order of business was the election of a 
convention committee chairman. Thomas J. Daley was nominated 
for chairman. There being no further nominations, nominations 
were closed, and Thomas J. Daley was elected chairman. The next 
order of business was the nomination and election of secretary. 
Sally Wilson was nominated and elected as secretary of the 
committee.
    The committee then proceeded to review the resolutions 
submitted, and I will report to you the resolutions recommended 
for adoption by this national convention. For the purpose of 
saving time, I will read only the number and resolved portions 
of the resolutions. This is the first reading. There will be no 
voting today.
    Resolution Number 197. I'd just like to direct everybody's 
attention to the RESOLVED. I'm only going to read it once. 
These resolutions will be placed on your chairs tomorrow when 
you come in the morning. So please pay attention to the 
RESOLVED portion of this resolution.

          RESOLVED to amend the indicated sections of the National 
        Bylaws of the Disabled American Veterans by adding/omitting 
        text as follows. Omissions are indicated by lining through and 
        additions are indicated by underlining:
          Section 3.10. Rules of the Convention.
          (b) If such resolution proposes to amend the Constitution or 
        Bylaws, it may not be considered unless the proponent had it 
        read at the time the resolutions favorably reported by the 
        Convention Constitution and Bylaws Committee were read to the 
        convention in accordance with Section 3.10, Rule 21(d).

          Resolution 200, Section 6.4, Suspension and 
        Revocation of Charters.

          Paragraph 4. When the charter of any chapter has been 
        revoked, all members of the chapter shall be transferred by the 
        national adjutant to the state at-large chapter. In the absence 
        of a state at-large chapter, the members shall be transferred 
        to the Nomad National At-Large Chapter.
          Paragraph 5. Upon revocation of the charter of any chapter or 
        county or district council where no state department exists, or 
        upon revocation of any charter of a state department, all 
        property, money and effects of said state department, chapter 
        or county or district council shall revert to the national 
        organization, there to be held in trust for 18 months. In the 
        event the state department, chapter or county or district 
        council's charter is not reissued within the 18-month period, 
        the said property, money and effects shall become the absolute 
        property of the national organization. Disposition of assets of 
        units of the DAV Women's Auxiliary are controlled by the 
        appropriate provisions of their Constitution and Bylaws.
          Paragraph 6. Upon revocation of the charter of a chapter or 
        county or district council under the jurisdiction of a state 
        department, all property, money and effects of the chapter or 
        county or district council shall become the property of the 
        state department. Disposition of assets of units of the DAV 
        Women's Auxiliary are controlled by the appropriate provisions 
        of their Constitution and Bylaws. Resolution 201. Term of 
        Office of Certain Appointees.
          Paragraph 1. The term of office of persons appointed by the 
        national commander under Section 7.2 of these Bylaws and of 
        persons appointed by the national adjutant under Section 7.4 of 
        these Bylaws shall not exceed that of the appointing power and 
        may be terminated at any time by the appointing power, 
        provided, however, that the removal of the national adjutant by 
        the national commander is subject to approval by a two-thirds 
        vote of the National Executive Committee. The National 
        Executive Committee may, by a two-thirds vote of its members, 
        remove the national adjutant from office for cause.
          Paragraph 2. The term of office of all persons appointed by 
        the national commander under Section 7.2 of these Bylaws and of 
        all persons appointed by the national adjutant under Section 
        714 of these Bylaws terminates automatically at the adjournment 
        of each convention, except that such appointees who are not 
        employees of the national organization may continue to serve 
        until their successors are installed. There is no right 
        whatsoever to reappointment to any position held by appointment 
        under Section 7.2 or under Section 7.4 of these Bylaws.

    Resolution 202. Section 8.4, Financial Records and Reports.

          Paragraph 2. The financial statements as required by these 
        Bylaws must be audited by an independent public accountant if 
        the gross annual income excluding membership per capita, 
        exceeds $300,000 from all sources.

    Resolution Number 203. Section 8.5, Department 
Constitution, Bylaws and Regulations.

          Paragraph 2. Each state department shall include the 
        following provision in its Bylaws unless prohibited by the 
        charitable trust laws of its particular state:
          ``This department recognizes the national organization known 
        as Disabled American Veterans, incorporated by Act of Congress, 
        and affirms its allegiance and subordination to the national 
        organization, its Constitution, Bylaws and all rules, mandates 
        and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Upon dissolution 
        of the department, the assets remaining after the payment of 
        its debts shall be distributed as provided in Article 6, 
        Section 6.4, Paragraphs 5 and 6 of the National Bylaws.''

    Resolution Number 204. Section 8.6, Annual State 
Convention.

          Paragraph 2. There shall be no form of unit rule or voting by 
        proxy.

    Resolution 205. Article 9, Chapters. 9.1: Chapter 
Constitution; Bylaws; Regulations.

          Paragraph 2. Each chapter shall include the following 
        provision in its Bylaws unless prohibited by the charitable 
        trust laws of its particular state:
          ``This chapter recognizes the national organization known as 
        Disabled American Veterans, incorporated by Act of Congress, 
        and affirms its allegiance and subordination to the national 
        organization, its Constitution, Bylaws and all rules, mandates 
        and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Upon dissolution 
        of the chapter, the assets remaining after the payment of its 
        debts shall be distributed as provided in Article 6, Section 
        6.4, Paragraphs 5 and 6 of the National Bylaws.''

    Resolution 206. Section 9.3, Financial Records and Reports.

          Paragraph 2. The financial statements as required by these 
        Bylaws must be audited by an independent public accountant if 
        the gross annual income, excluding membership per capita, 
        exceeds $300,000 from all sources.

    Resolution Number 207. Section 10.2, Financial Records; 
Officer Reports--Women's Auxiliary and NOTR.

          Paragraph 3. The financial statements as required by these 
        Bylaws must be audited by an independent public accountant if 
        the gross annual income, excluding membership per capita, 
        exceeds $300,000 from all sources.
    Resolution Number 208. Section 10.3, Limitation of Powers.

          Paragraph 2. Each auxiliary and its subordinate units shall 
        include the following provision in its bylaws unless prohibited 
        by the charitable trust laws of its particular state:
          ``This [type of unit] recognizes the national organization 
        known as Disabled American Veterans, incorporated by Act of 
        Congress, and affirms its allegiance and subordination to the 
        national organization, its Constitution, Bylaws and all rules, 
        mandates and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Upon 
        dissolution of the [type of unit], the assets remaining after 
        the payment of its debts shall be distributed as provided in 
        Article 6, Section 6.4, Paragraphs 5 and 6 of the National 
        Bylaws.''

    Resolution Number 209. Section 11.5, Membership Dues.

          Paragraph 1. Membership dues shall be $20, and shall be for 
        the membership year or any part thereof. The membership year 
        starts July 1 and ends the following June 30th. All membership 
        dues will be applied toward becoming a member for life and will 
        be deposited directly in the individual's membership account as 
        established under Paragraph 2 below. Once the appropriate full 
        membership amount has been paid into the member's account, he 
        or she will no longer be required to pay dues.
          Paragraph 2. Those eligible who have not attained the age of 
        41 before July 1 of the current year may become a member for 
        life upon payment of $150. Those who are between the ages of 41 
        and 60, upon payment of $125; those who are between the ages of 
        61 and 70, upon payment of $100; and those who have attained 
        the age of 71 or over, upon payment of $75.

    Section 11.7, Duration of Membership.

          All memberships will extend for three full membership 
        years from the date of the most recent payment, or (if 
        and when paid in full) throughout the member's 
        lifetime. If membership is paid in installments, 
        payment notices will be sent to the member as a 
        reminder. However, the member may pay the balance, or 
        any part thereof, at any time. Distribution under 
        Section 11.8 will only occur when there are sufficient 
        funds in the member's account. If no payment is made 
        during three full membership years, he or she is not 
        thereafter a member. He or she may reinstate their 
        membership at any time by initiating additional 
        payments. Such payments will be applied to the previous 
        balance and be counted toward a fully paid membership.

    Resolution Number 210. Section 11.10, Multiple Memberships.

          No member shall hold membership simultaneously in more than 
        one chapter within the same state unless such other chapter is 
        composed exclusively of blind veterans or amputee veterans.

    Resolution Number 211. Article 12, National Employees. 
Section 12.1, Employment Policy.

          Paragraph 2. No paid employee of the national organization, 
        hereafter referred to as ``the employer'', who is a member of 
        the DAV or its Women's Auxiliary and who has been so employed 
        continuously for a period of five years, shall be discharged 
        except for cause.

    12.2, Procedure.

          Paragraph 1. An employee described in Section 12.1, 
        Paragraph 2 of these Bylaws may, within 31 days of 
        receiving from the national adjutant a written notice 
        of discharge, make written demand upon the national 
        adjutant for a hearing before a Hearing Board, as 
        herein provided.
          Paragraph 10. Upon conclusion of the hearing, the 
        Hearing Board, by a majority vote, shall, after 
        deliberation, render a decision either that the former 
        employee's discharge be upheld or that he be reinstated 
        with all pay and benefits retroactive to the date of 
        his termination. The decision of the Hearing Board 
        shall be final for all purposes and shall constitute a 
        binding arbitration, which the parties shall 
        acknowledge by executing an appropriate agreement in 
        advance of the hearing.

    Resolution Number 212. Section 14.4, Depositories.

          The National Finance Committee shall, by regulation, 
        designate one or more depositories for all revenue of this 
        organization.

    Resolution Number 213. Section 14.5, National Revenue; 
Deposit and Investment.

          Paragraph 1. All monies received in payment for membership 
        shall be deposited in a separate account in one of these 
        depositories and all membership monies and securities shall be 
        kept separate from the general funds of the organization, 
        subject only to withdrawals to carry out the Life Membership 
        Program. The National Finance Committee, with the concurrence 
        of a two-thirds majority of the National Executive Committee, 
        shall authorize the investment and reinvestment of such 
        portions of the Life membership Fund as it may determine to be 
        in the best interests of the membership program.
          Paragraph 3. The National Finance Committee shall provide in 
        its regulations that access to any safety deposit box can be 
        had only by the national adjutant and/or national comptroller 
        in company with one additional bonded employee designated by 
        the National Finance Committee. Disbursement of membership 
        monies from the checking account of the Life membership Fund 
        shall be made upon life membership checks bearing the 
        signatures of the national adjutant and national comptroller.

    Resolution Number 214 is Section 15.3, For Chapters, 
Women's Auxiliaries and NOTR. It's Paragraph 1.

          The revenue of chapters, women's auxiliary units and 
        subordinate units of the NOTR shall be derived from dues, 
        contributions and such other sources as maybe approved by the 
        state department within which the same is located. Where no 
        commissions are to be paid, and solicitation of funds shall be 
        only by personal contact of members, or friends of members, no 
        prior approval shall be required for a fund-raising project 
        where the gross receipts will be less than $5,000, provided, 
        however, that advance written notice of 30 days to the state 
        department shall be required on all such fund-raising projects. 
        (Such fund-raising must be in compliance with federal, state 
        and local laws.) All monies received by local chapters on fund-
        raising activities, except as may lawfully be required to be 
        paid to the state department having jurisdiction over such 
        chapters, shall be retained by such chapter. If there is no 
        state department, approval must be obtained from the National 
        Executive Committee.

    Resolution Number 215. Section 15.4, Women's Auxiliary 
National Organization.

          Paragraph 2. No state department of the DAV women's auxiliary 
        shall conduct any fund-raising project without the prior 
        consent of the DAV state department and the DAV National 
        Executive Committee.
          Paragraph 4. If any dugout or other subordinate unit of the 
        National Order of Trench Rats, or if any local unit or other 
        subordinate unit of the DAV women's auxiliary desires to hold 
        any fund-raising drive or fund-raising activity in the 
        territory of more than one chapter, such subordinate unit, 
        before asking for the required approval, shall give written 
        notice of its intention to ask such approval, with reasonably 
        detailed information about the proposed drive or activity, to 
        all chapters within such territory not less than two weeks 
        before seeking approval, and all such chapters shall have the 
        right to protest promptly to the state department or to the 
        National Executive Committee, whichever may have the power of 
        approval as set out above.

    Section 15.5, National Order of Trench Rats.

          The national organization of the National Order of Trench 
        Rats shall not conduct any fund-raising project or fund-raising 
        activity without the prior consent of the National Executive 
        Committee.

    Resolution Number 216. Section 15.7, Supervision and 
Enforcement.

          Paragraph 2. Without limiting the remedies elsewhere provided 
        in these Bylaws, the national commander may, in his sole 
        discretion, direct an audit of the books and records of any 
        such subordinate unit. The national organization, an 
        independent accountant, or a certified public accountant shall 
        conduct such audit. The expense of such audit shall be borne by 
        the subordinate unit.
          Paragraph 3. Each subordinate unit subject to the provisions 
        hereof shall make available to the national commander or his 
        designee all books and records for inspection at any reasonable 
        time at its principal headquarters.
          Paragraph 4. Each subordinate unit subject to the provisions 
        hereof shall hold the national organization harmless from any 
        claims arising from approval granted or withheld by any 
        governing body hereunder, and the approval of such body is 
        specifically limited to the project submitted as a means of 
        fund-raising and may not be construed so as to make the 
        approving body a party to any contract or obligation arising 
        out of the project.
          Paragraph 5. The national commander, acting pursuant to 
        Paragraph 2 above, in his sole discretion may order any 
        subordinate unit subject to the provisions hereof to cease and 
        desist from any fund-raising project deemed by him not to be in 
        the best interest of the Disabled American Veterans.
          Paragraph 6. This section shall be applicable to, and shall 
        be incorporated by reference into, all contracts entered into 
        pursuant to this Article. It shall be applicable to all parties 
        to such contracts. If projects are conducted without written 
        contracts but nevertheless pursuant to authority granted under 
        this Article, the rights, duties and obligations of the 
        subordinate unit and all parties thereto shall also be subject 
        to the provisions of this section.

    Resolution Number 217. Section 17.1, Approval Required.

          ``This corporation recognizes the national organization known 
        as Disabled American Veterans, incorporated by Act of Congress, 
        and affirms is allegiance and subordination to the national 
        organization, its Constitution, Bylaws and all rules, mandates 
        and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Upon dissolution 
        of the corporation, the assets remaining after the payment of 
        its debts shall be distributed as provided in Article 6, 
        Section 6.4, Paragraphs 5 and 6 of the National Bylaws.''

    Resolution Number 218. This is Article 18, Accumulation of 
Funds. Section 18.1, Definition of Terms.

          Paragraph 1. The ``funds'' referred to in this Article are 
        the liquid assets of subordinate units.
          Paragraph 2. ``Service purposes'' are budgetary projects 
        recognized as service under these Bylaws and regulations 
        promulgated pursuant thereto. Section 18.2 Restriction on 
        Accumulation.
          Subordinate units may not accumulate funds, whether for 
        service purposes or otherwise, in excess of twice the expenses 
        of their last fiscal year. Section 18.3, Expenditure of Excess 
        Funds.
          Paragraph 1. Subordinate units whose accumulated funds exceed 
        the amount referred to in Section 18.2 above must comply with 
        this Article by expending such excess within a reasonable time.
          Paragraph 2. The expenditure of funds by subordinate units to 
        accomplish compliance with this Article must be for service 
        purposes.

    Resolution Number 254. Section 19.1, Corporate 
Organization; Dissolution; Nomenclature--this is a housekeeping 
change, and we're just renumbering the sections: 19.1; 19.2, 
Use of Members' Names; Section 19.3, Rules of Order; Section 
19.4, Certificate of Merit; Section 19.5, Amendments of Bylaws; 
Section 19.6, Captions; and Section 19.7, Definitions and 
Interpretation.
    That completes the resolutions, Comrade Commander.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Mr. Daley. Appreciate your 
hard work.
    Mr. Daley. Comrade Commander, I'd like to read three 
resolutions that were rejected by the Constitution and Bylaws 
Committee. I'm just going to read the numbers of the 
resolutions.
    Commander McMasters. Okay.
    Mr. Daley. These resolutions were rejected by the committee 
this morning: Resolution Number 66, Resolution Number 83, and 
Resolution Number 81.
    Comrade Commander, this completes the report of the 
Committee on Constitution and Bylaws, and the first reading of 
recommended changes to the Constitution and Bylaws.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you.
    Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and I will ask Chaplain 
Wilkie to lead us in a closing prayer.
    Chaplain Wilkie. Let us pray. We thank You, Father, for all 
the information we've received today. It seemed a little 
overwhelming. But with Your help as we go now to refreshment 
and sleep, we know we'll come back tomorrow with our minds 
clear that we may be able to do those things which are pleasing 
in Thy sight. Amen.
    Commander McMasters. The convention stands in recess until 
9:00 o'clock tomorrow morning.
    [Whereupon, the meeting recessed at 4:00 o'clock p.m., July 
29, 1996.]

                         THIRD BUSINESS SESSION

                             July 30, 1996

    The Third Business Session of the 75th National Convention 
of the Disabled American Veterans convened in the Grand 
Ballroom of the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, New Orleans, 
Louisiana, Tuesday morning, July 30, 1996, and was called to 
order at 9:00 o'clock a.m. by Commander Thomas A. McMasters 
III.
    Commander Thomas A. McMasters III. The convention will 
please come to order.
    Would you please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the 
flag of our country?
    [Pledge of Allegiance.]
    Commander McMasters. Chaplain Wilkie, will you please lead 
us in prayer?
    Chaplain Wilkie. Before we pray again this morning, I ask 
you to share with me again a moment of silence for all of those 
who could not be here. I've been made aware of others who have 
become ill during our convention and others who have heard of 
illness back home. Let's lift all of these before God in our 
thoughts and in our prayers in a moment of silence.
    [Moment of silence.]
    Chaplain Wilkie. Once again, O God, we come before You to 
thank You for the events of last evening. What a fun time we 
had! What an opportunity we had of fellowship, and what a 
refreshment of sleep You have allowed to us, so that our minds 
and our bodies might be ready for the events and the tasks of 
this day.
    Again, I ask Your Divine wisdom, influence and strength to 
surround our commander that he may lead us in such fashion that 
the decisions made this day on behalf of disabled American 
veterans and their families will be that which will be 
beneficial to them and pleasing in Thy sight. Amen.
    Commander McMasters. Please be seated.
    In order for a delegate to be heard at this convention, he 
must be recognized by the Chair. Only those delegates at a 
microphone will be recognized. Upon being so recognized, the 
delegate must state his name, chapter number and the state he 
represents.
    At this time, we'll call on the Credentials Committee for 
their report.
    Mr. Barnett. I'm going to do a little better this morning. 
Can you hear me this time? All right. The Credentials Committee 
met this morning in the Jasperwood Room at the New Orleans 
Hilton Riverside. The roll call showed 1,344 delegates and 50 
alternates. This is a partial report for informational purposes 
only and reflects the registration at the close of registration 
at 4:00 o'clock, July 29th, 1996.
    At the present time, we have 584 chapters, 50 departments, 
27 national officers, 10 past national commanders, for a total 
of 1,344 delegates and 50 alternates, and a total vote of 
10,698.
    This completes the partial report of the Credentials 
Committee, Commander, Thank you.
    Commander McMasters. Will you please join me in welcoming 
Imperial Golden Rodent Alfred W. Nowak, Imperial Red-Eyed 
Gnawer John Engwiller, and the Imperial Council of the National 
Order of Trench Rats.
    Mr. John D. Engwiller, Sr. Good morning. I guess we're in 
New Orleans. If you'd asked me last night, I wouldn't have been 
able to tell you. For the purpose of a short introduction from 
our Imperial Golden Rodent Al Nowak.
    Mr. Alfred W. Nowak. Greetings from the National Order of 
Trench Rats, and Welcome to the Year of the Rat. (Applause) It 
may be the Chinese Year of the Rat, but we are rats also.
    Our purpose being here today is to welcome you all as 
friends of the National Order of Trench Rats as we are friends 
of the Disabled American Veterans. We must first be Disabled 
American Veterans before we can be Trench Rats.
    The Trench Rats originally were organized back in 1924 by a 
group of disabled veterans who were packed away in an obscure 
hospital back in the hills of California. Having nothing to do, 
they got together and decided to form an organization. They 
decided on the National Order of Trench Rats, which reverts 
back to the troops who were in the rat-infested trenches, and 
thereby the name became effective.
    I have traveled throughout this country, but I do not 
intend to give you a travelogue today. Those who have seen me, 
know where I've been.
    And now without further ado, I would like to introduce our 
Imperial Red-Eyed Gnawer for the purposes of introducing our 
royal family. Imperial Red-Eyed Gnawer John Engwiller.
    Mr. Engwiller. You can applaud. You can applaud. [Booing] 
Thank you. Okay.
    We have a few gifts here that we'd like to pass out. This 
is our Year of the Rat hat with the Year of the Rat pin. The 
Imperial Golden Rodent would like to present one to National 
Adjutant Art Wilson, our National Commander Tom McMasters, our 
National Executive Director in Washington Dave Gorman, and our 
National Executive Director Rich Patterson. If somebody would 
take these to those gentlemen.
    From all over the United States--I've already introduced 
him, but he's from New York, Imperial Golden Rodent Al Nowak; 
our Imperial Silver Rodent Curt Guiglaar from Michigan; our 
Imperial Turquoise Rodent from Florida, Harry Warburton; our 
Imperial Bubonic Plague from California, Larry Polzin; our 
Imperial Black Plague from Oklahoma, Jimmie Foster; Imperial 
Iron Claw from Pennsylvania, James Turner; our Imperial Hole-y 
Rodent, Dave Oglesby; Imperial Red-Eyed Gnawer, that's me. 
That's the one you're all happy to see. Thank you. Imperial 
Bench Rat, the big bench rat, Vinny Reed.
    Our Imperial Executive Rodent Richard Stentiford; Imperial 
Executive Rodent Vernon Christian; Imperial Executive Rodent 
William Phillips; Imperial Executive Rodent George Ford, Sr.; 
from Florida, Imperial Executive Rodent Albert Sorrentino; 
Imperial Executive Rat Frank Cummings; Imperial Executive Rat 
John Ferguson; Imperial Executive Rat Charles Sirhal; Imperial 
Executive Rodent Newland Crutcher; Imperial Executive Rodent 
Harry Mulligan; Imperial Executive Rodent Robert Brown; 
Imperial Executive Rodent Charles Johns; Imperial Executive 
Rodent Joel Devenish; Imperial Executive Rodent McKinley 
Norman; Imperial Executive Rodent Henry Reeding, III; Imperial 
Executive Rodent Frank Webb; Imperial Executive Rodent Chesley 
Rutledge.
    Now, our elite, our Imperial Rodents: Paul Bailey; Imperial 
Rodent Fred Sutton; Imperial Rodent Ernest Balcom; Imperial 
Rodent George Zoscsak; Imperial Rodent Oswald Pederson; 
Imperial Rodent Vinny Reed; Imperial Rodent Johnny Dilaurenzio; 
Imperial Rodent Sam Vigil.
    I want to thank you for the opportunity to come before you. 
As you know, we're the fun group. It's always a pleasure. And 
this year on Thursday morning, we will present some money to 
the service organization, and we will tell you then what we've 
done for this year. To do it now would only be repeating it on 
Thursday.
    Again, we dedicate ourselves for what we were chartered 
for, to aid and assist the disabled American veterans. Thank 
you. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Imperial Rodent Nowak, for 
that awesome display.
    At this time, we're going to call on the Reverend Oscar 
Wilkie.
    Chaplain Wilkie. After a display like that, we may be in 
need of a chaplain, I'm not sure. [Laughter.]
    Once again, I have the very distinct honor and privilege of 
coming to you to represent the Chapel of Four Chaplains. Many 
of you are aware of the Chapel of Four Chaplains. It's an 
organization that was established back a long time ago. It's 
had its offices in Valley Forge.
    But on February 2nd, 1943, the USAT Dorchester was sailing 
the icy waters around Greenland with 902 men aboard. A U-boat 
spotted the troopship and fired torpedoes, five of which hit 
directly below the water line, and the ship began to sink. In 
27 minutes, the ship was under water. There were 902 men aboard 
that ship; 672 of them died, and 230 survived.
    Among those that survived, four of them at least were young 
men who were given an opportunity for life by four chaplains 
that were aboard that ill-fated ship: Lieutenant Alexander B. 
Good, a Jewish rabbi; Lieutenant Clark V. Polling of the Dutch 
Reformed Church; Lieutenant John P. Washington, a Roman 
Catholic priest; and Lieutenant George L. Fox, a Methodist 
minister. Those were the four chaplains aboard the USAT 
Dorchester on that fateful morning.
    As the chaplains helped the men to board lifeboats, as the 
very last ones were about to get aboard a lifeboat and they had 
run out of lifejackets, these our chaplains took their own 
jackets off, gave them to young men who had none, and as the 
ship went down, those who survived saw them standing on the 
deck, arms linked, giving their last measure of devotion so 
that others might live.
    In order to commemorate that act of selfless devotion, the 
Chapel of Four Chaplains has created an award that it gives to 
people who do acts of volunteerism, who do things that promote 
and promulgate brotherhood amongst all people, and sacrifice, 
really, of their own time and effort for the good of Americans 
of every age, every station in life. This Legion of Honor 
Program is one of the most prestigious awards that is given.
    It is my high honor to represent them this morning and come 
to recognize and to pay tribute to one of our own who meets all 
of these requirements very well. Our own commander, Tom 
McMasters, has been chosen to receive the Medal of Honor Award. 
Commander McMasters, if you would come, it is my honor to 
present you this medal and this plaque with reads:

          This Legion of Honor bronze medallion is presented to Thomas 
        A. McMasters III, National Commander of Disabled American 
        Veterans, 1995-96, by the Chapel of Four Chaplains, Valley 
        Forge, Pennsylvania, in recognition of outstanding service to 
        people, all people, regardless of race or faith. This award 
        symbolizes for all Americans and for all time the unity of this 
        nation, founded upon the fatherhood of one God.

    It's an honor, sir, to present this to you on behalf of the 
Chapel. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you very much. Thank you, 
Chaplain Wilkie, for this extraordinary honor.
    At this time, I'm going to call on the Finance and Dues 
Committee for their report.
    2nd Junior Vice-Commander William D. Wiggins. Thank you, 
Commander. Comrade Commander and delegates to this 75th Annual 
Convention of the DAV: The National Convention Committee on 
Finance and Dues was called to order for its first business 
session on July the 29th, 1996 by the committee advisor, Earl 
Dean Walker.
    The first order of business was the election of a 
convention committee chairman. William D. Wiggins and William 
D. Brzezinski were nominated for chairman. William D. Wiggins 
was elected chairman. The next order of business was the 
nomination and election of a secretary. Edward S. Lastowski was 
nominated and elected secretary of the committee.
    There were no resolutions submitted for consideration by 
the Committee on Finance and Dues this year.
    The committee then reviewed the proposed 1997 budget with 
the committee advisors, Earl Dean Walker and Richard Patterson, 
with the assistance of Comptroller Anita F. Blum. The proposed 
1997 budget was referred to the National Convention Committee 
on Finance and Dues by the National Finance Committee with a 
recommendation for adoption. Following completion of the 
committee's review, the committee voted unanimously to 
recommend to the national convention adoption of the proposed 
1997 budget. The committee then expressed its thanks to 
Committee Advisors Earl Dean Walker and Richard E. Patterson, 
who were aided by Comptroller Anita Blum, not their assistance 
in performing the work of this important committee.
    Having no further business, the committee adjourned at 8:45 
a.m.
    At this time, I'd personally like to thank the members that 
served with me on this committee. Their help and assistance and 
their efforts made my job a much easier one.
    Comrade Commander, this completes the report of the 
Convention Committee on Finance and Dues, and I hereby move for 
the adoption of the report and ask that the committee be 
discharged with the thanks of the convention.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Bill. The motion has been 
made. Is there support? Is there support for the motion? Mike 
3.
    Mr. John C. McCarthy. John McCarthy, delegate, Number 4, 
Florida, seconds the motion.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, We have a motion and a 
support. Are we ready for the question? You're ready for the 
question? All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. It's carried.
    2nd Junior Vice-Commander Wiggins. Thank you, Commander.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Bill.
    I am going to call on the president of the DAV National 
Service Foundation, Richard J. Cosgriff, for a report.
    Mr. Richard Cosgriff. Thank you, Commander. This is the 
report of the National Service Foundation to the 75th National 
Convention of the Disabled American Veterans being held in New 
Orleans. I'd like at this time to present this report.
    National Commander McMasters, National Adjutant Wilson, 
national officers, delegates and guests all: I'm pleased to 
make the annual report of the DAV National Service Foundation 
and its Perpetual Rehabilitation Fund. The Foundation was 
established to ensure the sound future of the service program 
of the Disabled American Veterans. We strive to make sure that 
the DAV remains the foremost source of assistance to our 
disabled service-connected veterans, their families and their 
survivors.
    As the Foundation's president, I was assisted during the 
1995-96 year by our distinguished board members: the national 
commander, Tom McMasters; the Foundation's vice-president, 
National Adjutant Art Wilson; Secretary-Treasurer Bill Leach; 
Directors Bonnie Maile and Dick Wannemacher, and the National 
Finance Committee chairman, Earl Walker. I'd like to recognize 
Gary Burns from Maine, who has been elected to serve a two-year 
term beginning in 1996-97.
    And we'd like to offer our gratitude and thanks to Dick 
Wannemacher for his many years of service on the board. I'd 
also like to offer our gratitude to Charitable Programs 
Director Nancy O'Brien and her staff in Cincinnati for their 
tremendous help and invaluable service to the Foundation.
    We would also like to thank Tom Keller for his timely 
articles that he includes in the DAV National Magazine. The 
response of contributions from you, the members, is always 
very, very rewarding. Again thanks, Tom, for those articles.
    As measured by our consistent trend of growth, we feel 
great satisfaction and encouragement as we look toward the 
future. This year we exceeded our goals, reporting assets with 
a market value of $12,827,505. It is indeed a source of comfort 
for all of us to know that this sizable amount is there. If the 
national organization's income ever falls off at any time in 
the future, our Foundation will be there to assist the programs 
of service to you, the disabled veterans.
    Today, thankfully, we don't face that problem After three 
years of strong financial growth, the national organization is 
expanding its services. Yet we never know when the tide will 
turn, as it has at different points in our history, and 
significant help from the Foundation will be needed once again.
    Even today, we're using the earnings from our Perpetual 
Rehabilitation Fund to provide furniture and office equipment 
for our national service offices. We maintain a fund for 
medical studies to help establish expert medical testimony in 
support of special claims by our national service offices, and 
we purchase medical and legal textbooks for the national 
service offices throughout the country.
    The Foundation does not engage in public solicitation, 
relying instead on you, the members for our support. DAV and 
Auxiliary leaders at every level have earned our deep 
appreciation. Individual chapters and Auxiliary units, our 
departments and the Trench Rats all play a vital role in our 
income. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
    And during the past year, we reconginzed the foremost donor 
through 150 awards, including; Certificates of Commitment to 25 
chapters and three Auxiliary units that contributed $1 for each 
member in their ranks; Certificates of Commitment to 14 
departments that gave $10 for each of their chapters; 89 
Commendation Plaques for those whose total donations topped 
$1,000 to one fund; and 19 donors were recognized on the Grand 
Memorial Honor Roll Plaque at Washington, D.C. Headquarters for 
contributions in excess of $5,000.
    In the year ended December 31st, 1995, DAV national service 
officers were responsible for donations of $384,620, an 
increase of nearly $65,000 over the previous year, and we 
certainly appreciate what all the national service offices do.
    At this time, I'd like to call on Ken Wolfe. Ken is going 
to assist us--of course, as you know, he's the rehab. director, 
and it's through his efforts in encouraging the service 
officers throughout the country to support our program. So I'll 
ask Ken to present the trophies to the winners:
    Division I, from Togus, Maine, Gary Burns. Gary's the 
supervisor. [Applause.]
    While Gary's getting here, under Division II, Syracuse, New 
York, Harry Schultz, the supervisor. [Applause.]
    Mr. Gary Burns. Thank you. I'd just like to say thanks to 
the office staff up there, particular NSO Bruce Kaplan; Cathty 
Hartnett, the secretary; the Department of Maine that allows us 
some part-time help in the office that they fund, and allows us 
to work on such things as this in membership with that help; 
and particularly the membership and the people in Maine who 
plan on keeping this in Maine until at least at the time I 
retire.
    So thank you, people. And that's five or six years at 
least. [Applaused.]
    Mr. Cosgriff. Harry Schultz from Syracuse, New York.
    Mr. Harry Schultz: I'd like to just say thank you to Paul 
Breuer, because Paul was very instrumental in working towards 
getting this; and also to my secretary, Ann Stefanini who, 
without her, none of it would be possible. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    Mr. Cosgriff. Division III, from Buffalo, New York, Al 
Giordano, supervisor.
    Mr. Al Giordano. I'd like to thank the entire staff of the 
Buffalo, New York office, including Sam Sabino, who's now down 
in Florida, for all the effort they put into winning this 
award. Thank you. [Applause.]
    Mr. Cosgriff. Division IV, from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
Jim Wyatt, supervisor.
    Mr. Jim Wyatt. I'd just like to thank all the staff in the 
Philadelphia Regional Office, and particularly all the great 
Philadelphia Regional Office, and particularly all the great 
residents of the State of Pennsylvania. And we'll be back. 
Thank you. [Applause.]
    Mr. Cosgriff. And last, Division V, from New York City, 
Mark Winn, supervisor.
    Mr. Mark Winn. I also would like to express my appreciation 
to my staff. It's a reflection of the hard work and dedication 
they do for our veterans in the New York area. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    Mr. Cosgriff. Mark said he's going to be back again next 
year, and for us to remember Nick Cachianes from New York City. 
This would have never happened if Nick was still alive, I can 
assure you. Nick kept all the money in his office. [Laughter.]
    Please join me in thanking these officers and various 
officers throughout the country for their support. [Applause.]
    All the funds remain invested with the Trust Division of 
the Cincinnati's Fifth-Third Bank. Our annual audit for the 
year ending December 31st was done by the accounting firm of 
Deloitte & Touche, and will be incorporated in the convention 
official record. As a charitable organization, we report to the 
IRS annually.
    Our National Order of Trench Rats Fund shows a balance of 
$184,793. We more or less administer this trust for the Trench 
Rats. And I'd like at this time to turn over to Commander 
McMasters a check for $10,829, which is the interest earned on 
this account during the past year. Commander. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. The Service Foundations's 
doing an excellent job.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much. That was short and 
brief.
    This gift from the Trench Rats, this interest, goes towards 
the Legislative Program of the Disabled American Veterans.
    In addition, the Foundation has had a good year during the 
past with its investments, and are delighted to announce our 
pledge of $500,000 out of these earnings of the past year, to 
be used as seed funding for the new Colorado Trust, which has 
been established within the Foundation.
    This new program offers tremendous potential for the 
chapter and the department service programs throughout the 
country, and the Foundation is honored to play a prominent role 
in this growth. We are only too pleased to establish this new 
fund, the Colorado Trust, in addition to our Perpetual 
Rehabilitation Fund, which will continue in its current 
function.
    As Art Wilson stated yesterday, materials will be sent to 
all chapters and departments following this convention, and I 
urge those who need to spend down their accumulated resources 
to give this program your fullest support.
    Mr. Commander, this concludes my report, and as is 
traditional, the Foundation stands ready to accept 
contributions from the convention floor from the members and 
the chapters and the departments. And these donations will be 
placed in the Perpetual Rehabilitation or the Trench Rats Fund, 
as so designated.
    Thank you very much. [Applause.]
    Member. On behalf of Chapter 2, San Diego, California, and 
Richard's own chapter, I'd like to donate $2500 for the 
National Service Foundation. Thank you.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, Dale.
    Mr. Don J. Pouliot. Don Pouliot. Dick's chapter, Chapter 2, 
San Diego, a personal check for a hundred dollars.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, Don.
    Mr. Michael W. Tempesta. Mike Tempesta, Fresno, California. 
On behalf of our chapter, there's a check here for $2500, Dick.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Member. Old Adobe Chapter 117, California, $200.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you.
    2nd Junior Vice-Commander Wiggins. Bill Wiggins, Chapter 19 
of Danville, Virginia, is proud to present $1500 in honor of 
David Tannenbaum, the executive director of the Department of 
Virginia, for his outstanding work.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you.
    4th Junior Vice-Commander Michael E. Dobmeier. Mike 
Dobmeier. Thanks for a great year; $100.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you sir.
    Mr. Ralph G. Reinagel. Ralph Reinagel, Chapter 70, Memphis, 
Tennessee, proudly presents this check of $15,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir. This check was for 
$15,000. Thank you.
    Mr. Edward D. Rushton. Ed Rushton, commander, DAV Post 22, 
Portsmouth, Virginia, $500.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir
    Mr. John F. McCoy. John McCoy, Chapter 19, California, 
$100.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, John.
    Mr. John T. Freetly. John Freetly, commander, Department of 
Minnesota, would like to present this check for the Perpetual 
Rehab. Fund, $10,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, John. This where 
originally our support started, back in Minnesota. Thank you 
very much, John.
    Mr. Sam McGarrity. On behalf of the Department of 
Mississippi, we are proud to present a thousand dollar check. 
And I'm Sam McGarrity.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Commander McMasters. Please, could we have your attention. 
Thank you.
    Ms. June R. Springer. Good morning. June Springer, 
commander, Department of Virginia. I'm proud to present a 
$1,000 check.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Mr. David L. Tannenbaum. Dave Tannenbaum, Chapter 15, 
Prince William County, Manassas, Virginia, donates $200.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Member. Shreveport-Bossier Chapter, Shreveport, Louisiana, 
the state that believes in having a good time, $2,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Member. Department of Massachusetts, $1,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you sir.
    Mr. Bob Williams. Bob Williams from the National Blind 
Chapter, I'd like to donate a hundred dollars for those members 
who passed away this year.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir. Thank you.
    Mr. William L. Turner. Bill Turner, commander, DAV Chapter 
1, St. Louis, Missouri, would like to present $1,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Member. On behalf of the National Guild of Attorneys in 
Fact, we have a check for $1500 in honor of our founding 
member, Jack Feighner. This was raised through our first Annual 
Golf Tournament. I'd like to thank the Departments of Florida 
and Rhode Island.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Mr. Christopher. Richard Christopher, Chapter 115, Saugus, 
Mass., would like to make a personal donation of $300.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Member. Commander of Chapter 6, Louisville, Kentucky. I 
present you with $300.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Member. California, Tri-Cities Chapter 95, $200.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you.
    Mr. Joseph J. Maldet. Joe Maldet from Chapter 103, H. F. 
Grote, $100.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, sir.
    Mr. Hugh Ferguson. Hugh Ferguson, commander, Department of 
Maryland, would like to present $1,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Mr. Charles M. Turik. Charles Turik, Chapter 67, 
Pennsylvania, $1,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Member. On behalf of Tamarac, Florida Chapter 73, $100.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Appreciate it very much. Thank you.
    Mr. Robert V. Connor. Bob Connor, St. Paul Chapter 2, 
Minnesota. At our 14th District meeting last Saturday, as we do 
every year, we took up a collection for the Foundation, and I 
present you $104 in memory of Past National Service Officer 
Hiram Fuller.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you.
    Member. As commander of Chapter 1, Minneapolis, Minnesota, 
I present this check to the Perpetual Rehabilitation Fund for 
$5,498, which represents a dollar per member.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Member. Chapter 1, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, $250; 
Department of South Dakota, $500.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, sir.
    Mr. Michael D. Giles. Mike Giles, Chapter 14, Salem, 
Virginia, in memory of Hugh Huggins, $400.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, sir.
    Mr. Phillip W. Turpin. Bill Turpin, Chapter 3, from good 
old Roanoke, Virginia, in honor of our national service 
officers, would like to present you a check for a thousand 
dollars. Thank you.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Member. Chapter 16, Prescott, Arizona, a check for $3,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    NEC 15th District Francis E. McLaskey. Francis McLaskey, 
Department of Iowa. I'd like to present a check for $200 in 
memory of James Glouser and in honor of Clair Galloway.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you.
    Mr. E. Espinosa-Labrador. From the beautiful island of 
Puerto Rico, Espinosa, department commander, a donation; and 
from Chapter Number 1, San Juan, Puerto Rico, another donation.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, sir. That's a total of $300.
    Mr. George Passwater. George Passwater, Department of 
Florida, donating a hundred dollars in honor of Harry 
Warburton, past state commander.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Mr. Victor J. Lampe. Vic Lampe, commander of Cincinnati 
Chapter Number 1, the mother chapter of this, the Disabled 
American Veterans, gives you a thousand dollars.
    Plus, Commander, I'd like to say that in May, our chapter 
gave the Vine Street Medical Center $22,500 to upgrade their 
television and bring Channel Television in, cable, so that the 
veterans there could get something beside just the three 
programs they get.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much. Thank you, sir.
    Mr. Bob Baley. Bob Baley, department commander of the great 
State of Arkansas, proudly presents you with a check for 
$1,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Mr. James V. Mars. James Mars, Chapter 11, Jackson, 
Mississippi, in the name of our NSO, Gerald Humphries, I'd like 
to present $1,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, sir.
    Mr. Gerald A. Jones. Gerald Jones, department commander 
from North Carolina, proudly presents $1,000 to the Service 
Foundation.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, sir.
    Mr. Irvin L. Brabant.. Irv Brabant, senior vice-commander, 
State Department of Missouri, $500.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, sir.
    Mr. Shirley R Turner. Shirley Turner, commander, Chapter 
Number 2, Missouri, $25,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Mr. James T. Ruppenthal. Jim Ruppenthal, national service 
officer from Houston, Texas, a hundred dollar personal check in 
memory of Ken Smith, the late supervisor of our Waco office.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you.
    Mr. David H. Wilson. David Wilson, department commander, 
State of New York, $1,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Commander, thank you.
    Mr. Harry Mannine. Harry Mannine, department commander of 
Vermont, $1,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, commander.
    Member. Chapter 15 of the Department of Vermont, $300 in 
memory of Ken Macey.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, sir.
    Mr. Burton E. Packard. Burt Packard, Department of New 
Hampshire, $500 to the Service Fund.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Mr. Robert C. Freitas. Bob Freitas, Department of Hawaii. 
We have a check coming for $500.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you.
    Mr. Thomas Caenen. Tom Caenen, department commander, 
Nevada. I have four checks to present. Remember, next year your 
convention's going to be with us. The first check is $100 from 
the Department of Nevada. The second check is $100 in memory of 
William Norris, a departed past department commander. Another 
$100 check for past department commander in memory of Carl 
Thomas; and $100 from Chapter 12, Henderson.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Mr. Ken Kuehnl. Good morning. Ken Kuehnl, department 
commander, from the great State of Wisconsin, makes a donation 
of $1500.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Member. Chapter 19, West Allis, Wisconsin, gives a $300 
check in honor of our NSOs, Clyde Dartey, Phil Kreisa, Tony 
Starich and Don Savage.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Mr. Richard E. Marbes. Dick, here's a check for $500 from 
the Marbes family for our continued support of the Foundation.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, Commander. Thank you.
    Mr. James Edge. James Edge, department commander for the 
State of Kansas. I'd like to present $500 from the department; 
also from the State of Kansas, Chapter 4, I'd like to donate 
$500.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Member. Chapter 143, Largo, Florida, would like to donate 
$600 to the National Service Foundation.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, dear.
    Mr. Rudy Vargas. Rudy Vargas, State of Colorado, proudly 
presents a check to you from the Department of Colorado and all 
the members, delegates of Colorado sitting right here, for 
$10,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Mr. Alexander B. Watson. Alex Watson, Chapter 9, St. 
Petersburg, Florida, $500.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Mr. Robert T. Reynolds. Robert Reynolds, commander, Chapter 
10, Department of Virginia, would like to present a check for 
$100.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Mr. Michael J. Harmon. Mike Harmon, Chapter 84, Greater 
Daytona Beach Area, would like to donate $1,250 in honor of our 
deceased veterans.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.
    Mr. Joseph Trulio. Good morning. Joe Trulio, Department of 
New Jersey, proudly presents a check for $5,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Ms. Jerry Worthington. Jerry Worthington, Southern Caucus, 
$200.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Mr. William R. Davidson. William Davidson, Robert Flansburg 
Chapter 7, Lincoln, Nebraska, $200 in the name of Past 
Commander Tom Morrissey.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    Mr. Larry A. Polzin. Larry Polzin, department commander 
from the State of California, $1,000.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, Larry.
    NEC 16th District Charles Demele. Charles Demele, NEC from 
the 16th District and the great State of California, my check 
for a hundred dollars, Dick.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Mr. Bobby B. Norman. This is Bobby Norman from Chapter 
Number 5, Arkansas. I see the need for our continued service to 
our veterans, and I want to make a personal contribution of $50 
for it.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    Mr. Raymond Solomon. Raymond Solomon, Chapter Number 1, 
Baltimore, Maryland, would like to make a pledge of $500. The 
check will be forthcoming.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much
    Mr. Walter H. Wessing. Walter Wessing, Kansas City, 
Missouri, Chapter Number 2, a hundred dollars in memory of Past 
National Commander Paul Thompson. Here's a hundred dollars.
    Commander, I told you I would get you. Here's a 20. You've 
got to match it. Please, would you please do that for me? 
There! Now, you give it to him.
    Now, Past National Ed Galian, you have to match this, too. 
Would you please put that $10 with that there? Would you please 
do that?
    Judge Advocate Galian. Ed Galian, $100. You match that!
    Mr. Wessing. No! And by the way, Commander, I took a 
collection up, and I've got a little extra money here. I don't 
know how much. But it does there, whatever it is. Great, 
Commander! You've done a good job.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you.
    Member. On behalf of the Department of Maine, we'd like to 
donate $500.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much, sir.
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Harry R. McDonald. Harry 
McDonald, national 1st junior vice-commander. I want to give 
you a check in the amount of $500; $250 in memory of my in-
laws, Fred and Anna Dulla and $250 in memory of my stepfather 
and mother, Frank and Esther Lowiselle.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you very much.
    I am proud to announce to you that--this is only temporary, 
but it's approximately $110,000 has been contributed from the 
floor at this particular time. And again I want to say, this 
all comes from the membership, from the chapters and from the 
departments, and we appreciate it very, very much. We will give 
you a final accounting of it as soon as it's all tabulated. 
Thank you.
    CommanderMcMasters. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Cosgriff. Thank you, Commander. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. I will entertain a motion to accept 
the report of the National Service Foundation. Mike 3.
    Mr. Clyde E. Dartey. Clyde Dartye, West Allis Number 19, 
Wisconsin, so move.
    Commander McMasters. Is there support? Mike 1.
    Mr. Alfrd Faticoni. Faticoni from Connecticut, past 
department commander, second the motion.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. We have a motion and a 
second to accept the report of the National Service Foundation. 
Are we ready for the question? Ready for the question? All in 
favor, signify by Aye; opposed. It's carried.


    I'm going to call on the Legislative and Veterans Rights 
Committee for their report.
    Mr. Richard E. Giese. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. 
The National Convention Committee on Legislation and Veterans 
Rights was called to order for its first business session on 
July 29th, 1996 by the committee advisor, Richard, Rick 
Schultz, assisted by Thomas L. Tomlinson. And Joe Violante 
provided much input on the session.
    The first order of business was the election of a 
convention committee chairman. Dick Giese from Florida was 
nominated for chairman. There being no further nominations, 
nominations were closed, and Dick Giese was elected chairman. 
The next order of business was the nomination and election of a 
secretary. Don Pouliot from California was nominated and was 
elected as secretary for the committee.
    I also want to thank Mr. Tortolano from California who 
assisted us in much of the wipe-up paperwork.
    I also want to recognize the diligent work and hard work 
that was put in by all the members, and rather than run their 
names, in the essence of time, I would ask that all of the 
delegates and the alternates please stand and please recognize 
a job well done. My personal thanks to all of you. [Applause.]
    The committee then proceeded to review the resolutions 
submitted, and I will now report to you the resolutions 
recommended for adoption by this National Convention. For the 
purpose of saving time, I will read only the number and a short 
resume of or a goal of the particular resolution. If you are 
not happy with that and would like the RESOLVED portion read, I 
will call upon Don to bring that resolution forward.
    As you know, all of these resolutions were adopted by your 
elected representatives to this committee, and they were very 
thoroughly discussed at length, and the adoption was not just a 
rapping of the gavel type situation.
    Resolution Number 5 was adopted. The ten-year protection 
for service-connected evaluations.
    Resolution Number 6. Concurrent receipt of VA disability 
compensation and military longevity retirement pay.
    Resolution Number 8. Oppose the taxation of VA disability 
compensation benefits.
    Resolution Number 9. Supporting a change in the payment of 
certain accrued benefits upon the death of a beneficiary.
    Resolution Number 10. To oppose termination of compensation 
to certain mentally incompetent veterans.
    Resolution Number 11. To raise the estate level applicable 
to certain incompetent and institutional veterans.
    Resolution Number 12. Oppose any proposal that would offset 
payments of Social Security disability insurance benefits or 
any other federal benefit by VA compensation.
    Resolution Number 28. Authorize automobile adaptive 
equipment eligibility to any veteran who has a service-
connected disability that inhibits the ability to safely 
operate a motor vehicle.
    Resolution Number 84. A disability compensation increase. 
Can't argue with that.
    Resolution Number 105. The SMCK award for the loss of 
female mammary gland.
    Resolution Number 106. To provide a temporary total rating 
for a period that an amputee has a new prosthetic device 
constructed.
    Resolution 121. Oppose permanent rounding-down of the 
COLAs.
    122. Oppose redefining service connection.
    Resolution 124. Remove offset between military 
nondisability payments and service-connected disability 
compensation.
    125. In support of the Court of Veterans Appeals review of 
decisions on the basis of clear and unmistakable error.
    126. Require the Board of Veterans Appeals compliance with 
due process procedures.
    127. Oppose broadening of the Board of Veterans Appeals 
authority to obtain evidence.
    128. Support legislation to preclude inappropriate remands 
by the Court of Veterans Appeals.
    129. Support legislation to provide for judicial review of 
certain decisions involving degree of disability.
    153. Oppose subjecting compensations to mean testing.
    154. Opposing a freeze in the rates of VA disability 
compensation benefits.
    157. To provide a realistic increase in the VA's special 
adapted housing grant.
    185. Revise presumptive period for establishing service 
connection for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
    219. Supporting legislation to provide service connection 
to atomic veterans for all recognized radiogenic diseases.
    220. Allow all veterans to recover amounts withheld as tax 
on disability severance pay.
    221. Exempt benefits paid to wartime service-connected 
disabled veterans from the pay-go provisions of the Budget 
Enforcement Act.
    222. To liberalize criteria for Agent Orange claims.
    223. Support appropriate relief for spina bifida in 
children of Vietnam veterans.
    224. Oppose reduction, taxation or elimination of VA 
benefits.
    225. Oppose the indexing of VA disability compensation 
benefits.
    225. Expand POW presumptions.
    227. Compensate Persian Gulf veterans suffering from 
unknown illness or disease circumstantially linked to their 
service in the Persian Gulf.
    228. Support change in requirements for temporary total 
rating under Paragraph 30.
    229. Provide for commencement of payment period for 
temporary total ratings for compensation as of the date of 
entitling event.
    230. To establish 5307, Title 38, U.S. Code, as the sole 
means to compel division of VA benefits.
    240. Opposing the use of VA-generated savings for purposes 
other than restoring VA benefits and services.
    232. These are under burial related now. To provide for at 
least one open national cemetery in every state.
    233. Restore entitlement and increase burial and plot 
allowance for survivors of all wartime veterans.
    234. Provide headstones or markers for all veterans.
    Now under the category of insurance related. Resolution No. 
13. To provide an open period to apply for service-disabled 
veterans' insurance.
    Number 14. Mortgage protection life insurance for 100 
percent service-connected veterans.
    Number 30. Increase the face value of service-disabled 
veterans' insurance.
    231. Provide for waiver of premiums for supplemental SDVI. 
That's service-disabled veterans' insurance.
    Under military related. Resolution No. 91. Opposing the 
dissolution of the military commissary system.
    241. Award commissary and PX privileges based on a DIC 
award.
    242. In support of a COLA for military retirees.
    243. Extend military commissary and exchange privileges and 
space-available air travel to certain service-connected 
disabled veterans. Specifically, we're talking about 30 percent 
and higher, just to clarify that.
    244. Space-available air travel aboard military aircraft 
for 100 percent service-connected veterans.
    245. Support of military medal to recognize and honor 
veterans exposed to ionization radiation during service.
    Number 30. Now, this is under education. These are all 
education-related resolutions. Number 39. Provide Chapter 35 
educational benefits for dependents of veterans rated 80 
percent or more service-connected disabled.
    Number 161. Eliminate the delimiting date for spouse in the 
VA's Chapter 35 Education Program.
    Number 235. Eliminate the 12-year delimiting date for use 
of vocational rehabilitation benefits.
    Now we come under the miscellaneous category. We're getting 
toward the end. Number 15. Supporting adequate funding for all 
VA programs.
    Number 164. Allow for payment of fees, expenses and court 
costs under equal access to justice to unsupervised, 
nonattorney representation practicing before the U.S. Court of 
Veterans Appeals.
    Number 236. Expand the Vietnam Era.
    Number 237. Oppose any reduction in veterans' programs.
    Number 238. Oppose any authorization to use members of the 
armed forces for human experimentation.
    Number 239. Oppose abolishment of the Committee on Veterans 
Affairs.
    Number 246. Support legislation to allow veteran service 
officers to solicit contributions on Post Office property.
    Number 247. Oppose legislation to reduce the number of 
judges at the Court of Veterans Appeals.
    That, Mr. Chairman, concludes my report, and I respectfully 
move that we adopt the same and dismiss the committee with the 
thanks of the convention.
    [The above-mentioned resolutions follow:]

                    RESOLUTION NO. 005--LEGISLATIVE

to provide a 10-year protection period for service-connected disability 
                              evaluations
    WHEREAS, section 110 of title 38, U.S.C., now provides for the 
protection of all disability compensation evaluations that have been 
continuously in effect for 20 or more years; and
    WHEREAS, permanency should be conceded for disability compensation 
ratings which have been in effect for 10 years without change in 
evaluation with no further examination scheduled; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports amendment of section 100 of title 38 U.S.C. to 
provide that disability evaluations continuously in effect at the same 
evaluation rate be protected after a period of 10 years.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 006--LEGISLATIVE

    concurrent payments of va disability compensation and military 
                             retirement pay
    WHEREAS, ex-service members who are retired from the military on 
length of service must waive a portion of their retired pay in order to 
receive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans 
Affairs; and
    WHEREAS, it would be more equitable if the laws and regulations 
were changed to provide that in such cases the veteran would be 
entitled to receive both benefits concurrently since eligibility was 
established and earned under two entirely different sets of enabling 
laws and regulations; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation and changed in applicable regulations 
which would provide that a veteran who is retired for length of service 
and is later adjudicated as having service-connected disabilities, may 
receive concurrent benefits from the military department and from the 
VA without deduction from either.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 008--LEGISLATIVE

      opposing the taxation of va disability compensation benefits
    WHEREAS, the Tax Simplification Plan, released by the Department of 
the Treasury in November 1984, proposed the federal taxation of VA 
disability compensation benefits; and
    WHEREAS, in the entire history of the disability compensation 
program these benefits have never been subject to taxation at either 
the federal, state or local levels; and
    WHEREAS, taxation of these benefits would amount to nothing more 
than a permanent, enduring reduction in benefits and would demean the 
sacrifice and service of our nation's service-connected disabled 
veteran population; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, vigorously opposes any proposal that would subject VA 
disability compensation benefits to taxation.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 009--LEGISLATIVE

  supporting a change in the payment of certain accrued benefits upon 
                         death of a beneficiary
    WHEREAS, section 5121 of title 39 U.S.C. sets forth the requirement 
for payment of accrued benefits upon death of a beneficiary and limits 
accrued benefits to periodic monetary benefits due and unpaid for a 
period not to exceed one year; and
    WHEREAS, the current appeals process, including a favorable Board 
of Veteran's Appeals decision and payment of retroactive benefits can 
take considerably longer than one year; and
    WHEREAS, the spouse and/or dependent children are part of the 
veteran's ``family unit'' and suffer the financial loss incurred during 
the appeals process; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation which would provide for payment in full 
of all due and unpaid accrued benefits to the spouse or dependent 
children.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 010--LEGISLATIVE

     opposing the termination of compensation to certain mentally 
                          incompetent veterans
    WHEREAS, compensation is paid for physical and mental disabilities 
connected to service in our nation's defense; and
    WHEREAS, there is nothing inherent in either physical or mental 
disability that diminishes the economic effects of either as compared 
to the other; and
    WHEREAS, veterans with mental disability are as deserving of 
compensation as those with physical disability, and should also have 
the same opportunities for enjoyment of life, incurring financial 
obligations, saving for future security, and creation of estates; and
    WHEREAS, proposals to terminate compensation to mentally 
incompetent veterans when their estates reach $25,000 and until reduced 
to $10,000 unfairly discriminates against veterans merely because the 
disease they suffered in defense of our nation is mental in nature; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes discriminatory legislation that would terminate the 
compensation of mentally incompetent veterans based on the size of 
their estate.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 011--LEGISLATIVE

     to raise the estate limit applicable to certain incompetent, 
                       institutionalized veterans
    WHEREAS, current law requires the suspension of VA disability 
compensation, pension and emergency officer's retirement pay in the 
case of mentally incompetent veterans who have neither a spouse or 
child and who are being furnished hospital treatment, institutional or 
domiciliary care ate U.S. government expense once the estate of such 
veterans equals or exceeds the sum of $1,500.00 (not to be continued 
until the estate is reduced to $500); and
    WHEREAS, this is discriminatory treatment towards this single group 
of veterans; and
    WHEREAS, this $1,500 estate level has not been adjusted in many 
years and conceivably can cause financial hardship to such veterans; 
NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation which would provide a realistic upward 
adjustment in the present maximum $1,500 estate level that applies to 
such mentally incompetent, institutionalized veterans.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 012--LEGISLATIVE

  opposing any proposal that would offset payments of social security 
   disability insurance benefits or any other federal benefit by va 
                              compensation
    WHEREAS, there has been consideration given to proposing an offset 
of Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits by payments of any 
other federal benefit; and
    WHEREAS, the adoption of such a measure would reduce the overall 
income provided to those service-connected veterans who have a 
compensable disability and who also suffer a permanent and total 
disability for purposes of Disability Insurance Benefits from the 
Social Security Administration; and
    WHEREAS, such an offset would work a grave and undue hardship on 
all totally disabled service-connected veterans and their families by 
drastically reducing their total income; and
    WHEREAS, benefits received from the Department of Veterans Affairs 
or under military retirement pay and other federal programs have 
differing eligibility criteria as compared to the earned payments of 
Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes any measure which proposes to offset the payment of 
any other federal benefit or earned benefit entitlement by VA 
compensation payments made to service-connected disabled veterans.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 013--LEGISLATIVE

   to provide an open period to apply for service disabled veterans 
                             insurance (rh)
    WHEREAS, service-connected disabled veterans are entitled to apply 
for Service Disabled Veterans Insurance (RH) within one year from the 
date the VA grants service connection for any disability; and
    WHEREAS, many eligible veterans, due to financial difficulties and 
problems associated with readjustment to civilian life, did not apply 
for this insurance within the one year eligibility period; and
    WHEREAS, many of these service-connected disabled veterans are now 
prepared and can afford to purchase this insurance but are not able to 
purchase comparable insurance coverage in the private sector; and
    WHEREAS, precedent has been established to extend previously closed 
``eligibility periods'' for certain other VA benefits and services, 
including insurance; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks the enactment of legislation that would authorize an 
``open period'' for eligible service-connected disabled veterans to 
apply for coverage under the Service Disabled Veterans Insurance 
Program.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 014--LEGISLATIVE

to extend eligibility for veterans' mortgage life insurance to service-
       connected veterans rated permanently and totally disabled
    WHEREAS, VA Mortgage Life Insurance is presently available to 
veterans entitled to the special adapted housing award under section 
2101(a) of title 38 U.S.C.; and
    WHEREAS, service-connected veterans rated as permanently and 
totally disabled cannot obtain Mortgage Life Insurance through 
commercial insurance companies; and
    WHEREAS, their widows and dependents must bear an undue hardship 
upon the death of such veterans; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks the enactment of legislation which would extend VA 
Mortgage Life Insurance to service-connected veterans who are rated as 
permanently and totally disabled.
                                 ______
                                 

                           RESOLUTION NO. 015

            supporting adequate funding for all va programs
    WHEREAS, understaffing of VA programs in recent years has hampered 
the VA's ability to effectively administer programs intended to benefit 
this nation's veterans; and
    WHEREAS, continued efforts by the Office of Management and Budget 
to reduce the VA budget will lead to further deterioration of all VA 
programs; and
    WHEREAS, this nation's first concern should be to fulfill its 
obligation to those who served in the military services in defense of 
the country; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks and strongly supports adequate funding for all VA 
programs.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 028--LEGISLATIVE

    amend provisions regarding eligibility for automobile adaptive 
  equipment to include any veteran whose service-connected disability 
       inhibits his/her ability to safely operate a motor vehicle
    WHEREAS, title 38, U.S.C. Sec. 3902 and 38 C.F.R. Sec. 17.119(a) 
restrict the eligibility for adaptive equipment to those veterans who 
qualify for the automobile grant as specified in 38 U.S.C. Sec. 3901; 
and
    WHEREAS, not all veterans whose service-connected disabilities 
prohibit the safe operation of a motor vehicle meet the requirements of 
38 U.S.C. Sec. 3901; and
    WHEREAS, these service-connected disabled veterans should be 
provided the adaptive equipment necessary to safely operate a motor 
vehicle; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports the enactment of legislation that would authorize the 
Department of Veterans Affairs to provide or assist in providing the 
adaptive equipment deemed necessary to any veteran whose service-
connected disability interferes with the safe operation of a motor 
vehicle.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 030--LEGISLATIVE

 to increase the face value of service disabled veterans insurance (rh)
    WHEREAS, certain veterans are eligible for National Service Life 
Insurance (NSLI) under section 1922 of title 38 U.S.C.; and
    WHEREAS, honorably discharged veterans released from active 
military duty on or after April 25, 1951, found by the Department of 
Veterans Affairs to be suffering from a disability or disabilities for 
which a compensable evaluation would be payable, shall, upon 
application, be granted insurance by the United States government under 
section 1922(a) of title 38 U.S.C.; and
    WHEREAS, this insurance, commonly referred to as RH insurance, is 
non-participating with no dividends payable; and
    WHEREAS, many of these veterans are uninsurable by private 
insurance companies as a result of their service-connected 
disabilities; and
    WHEREAS, inflation has rapidly increased and diminished the value 
of the insurance since the maximum was set at $10,000; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports amendment of title 38 U.S.C. to increase the maximum 
amount of insurance coverage available under the Service Disabled 
Veterans Insurance (RH).
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 039--LEGISLATIVE

educational benefits for dependents of service-connected veterans rated 
                      80 percent or more disabled
    WHEREAS, chapter 35 of title 38 U.S.C. extends educational 
assistance to the dependents of service-connected veterans who are 
evaluated as permanently and totally disabled; and
    WHEREAS, there are many service-connected veterans rated 80 percent 
and 90 percent disabled, whose dependents cannot afford to attend an 
institution of higher learning or pursue a vocational endeavor because 
of the reduced earning ability of such veterans; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks the enactment of legislation which would extend 
educational assistance under chapter 35 of title 38 U.S.C. to the 
dependents of veterans who have a service-connected disability rating 
of 80 percent or more.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 084--LEGISLATIVE

                    disability compensation increase
    WHEREAS, it is the historical policy of the Disabled American 
Veterans that this nation's first duty to veterans is to provide for 
the rehabilitation of its wartime disabled; and
    WHEREAS, the percentage ratings for service-connected disabilities 
represent, as afar as can be practicably determined, the average 
impairment in earnings capacity resulting from such diseases and 
injuries in civil occupations; and
    WHEREAS, compensation increases should be based on the loss of 
earnings capacity; and
    WHEREAS, disabled veterans who are unable to work because of 
service-connected disabilities should be entitled to compensation 
payments commensurate with the after tax earnings of their able-bodied 
contemporaries; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports the enactment of legislation to provide a realistic 
increase in VA compensation rates to bring the standard of living of 
disabled veterans in line with that which they would have enjoyed had 
they not suffered their service-connected disabilities.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 091--LEGISLATIVE

       opposing the dissolution of the military commissary system
    WHEREAS, some members of Congress and other officials have proposed 
to phase-out the Military Commissary System; and
    WHEREAS, the Commissary System is of vital importance to the 
personnel of our Armed Forces; and
    WHEREAS, active duty personnel, their dependents, retired military 
and disabled veterans who live on fixed incomes should have high 
quality food at fair and reasonable prices; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, vigorously opposes any proposal to phase-out the Armed Forces 
Commissary System.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 105--LEGISLATIVE

     special monthly compensation for loss of female mammary gland
    WHEREAS, 38 U.S.C. 1114(k) and 38 C.F.R. 3.350(a) grants special 
monthly compensation for loss of one hand, one foot, both buttocks, one 
or more creative organs; blindness--one eye having light perception 
only, deafness--both ears having the absence of air and bone 
conduction; and complete organic aphonia with constant inability to 
communicate by speech; and
    WHEREAS, there is a significant hormonal interrelationship between 
the female mammary glands and the female reproductive system; and
    WHEREAS, the female mammary glands can be a necessary postpartum 
accessory organ; and
    WHEREAS, severe physical disfigurement and complete loss of use 
results from the removal of the female mammary gland; and
    WHEREAS, major reconstructive surgery or utilization of a 
prosthesis is necessary to replace the amputated organ; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to amend Section 1114(k) of title 38 
U.S.C. to add the anatomical loss of a female mammary gland.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 106--LEGISLATIVE

to provide a temporary total rating for the period that an amputee has 
                  a new prosthetic device constructed
    WHEREAS, it takes four to six weeks to manufacture a prosthetic 
device; and
    WHEREAS, many employers will not accept amputee back to his 
employment until he has his artificial limb; and
    WHEREAS, the veteran who does not have an artificial limb is 
incapacitated and unable to perform gainful employment; and
    WHEREAS, the 1945 Rating Schedule does not contain any provision to 
provide this temporary total rating; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to amend the 1945 Rating Schedule to 
provide a temporary total rating for the period involving the 
replacement of a prosthetic device.

                    RESOLUTION NO. 121--LEGISLATIVE

 opposing the permanent rounding down of cost-of-living adjustments in 
                           veterans' benefits
    WHEREAS, to maintain the worth of veterans' benefits, they must be 
adjusted to keep pace with the rise in the cost-of-living; and
    WHEREAS, permanently rounding down the adjusted rates to the next 
lower dollar amount will erode the value of these benefits over time 
and thus not keep pace with the rise in the cost of living; and
    WHEREAS, permanently rounding down veteran's cost-of-living 
adjustments unfairly singles out veterans for a disproportionate and 
unfair burden in deficit reduction; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes permanent rounding down of cost-of-living adjustments 
for veterans' benefits.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 122--LEGISLATIVE

opposing any change that would redefine service-connected disability or 
    restrict the conditions or circumstances under which it may be 
                              established
    WHEREAS, current law authorizes service connection for disabilities 
incurred or aggravated during service in the United States Armed Forces 
in the line of duty; and
    WHEREAS, there are various proposals to limit service connection to 
disabilities caused directly by the performance of duty; and
    WHEREAS, disability incurred in the line of duty is sometimes not 
directly due to a job injury but may be due to less obvious factors 
attributable to the Armed Forces environment; and
    WHEREAS, proof of a causal relationship may often be difficult or 
impossible notwithstanding an inability to disassociate the disability 
from service-related factors; and
    WHEREAS, current law equitably alleviates the onerous burden of 
establishing performance of duty or other causal connection as a 
prerequisite for service connection; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes changes in current law so as to redefine or restrict 
service connection.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 124--LEGISLATIVE

supporting legislation to remove offset between military non-disability 
         payments and service-connected disability compensation
    WHEREAS, servicemembers receive severance, separation, 
readjustment, and retired pay not based on disability; and
    WHEREAS, current law requires these benefits to be offset against 
service-connected disability compensation; and
    WHEREAS, each of these benefits are merited for totally separate 
reasons and do not duplicate in any way service-connected disability 
compensation; and
    WHEREAS, the current provisions requiring offset are inequitable; 
NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to remove the offset between non-
disability severance, separation, readjustment, and retired pay and 
service-connected disability compensation.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 125--LEGISLATIVE

 supporting legislation to permit review of board of veterans' appeals 
         decisions on the basis of clear and unmistakable error
    WHEREAS, final decisions of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) 
may not be reopened or reviewed except upon submission of new and 
material evidence or in the case of clear and unmistakable error; and
    WHEREAS, a decision by the United States Court of Appeals for the 
Federal Circuit construed the law as including no right to review of a 
clear and unmistakable error occurring in a final Board of Veterans' 
Appeals decision; and
    WHEREAS, it is inequitable to bar correction of a decision which is 
undebatably wrong and which deprives a VA claimant of benefits to which 
he or she is unquestionably entitled, merely because the error occurred 
or was continued at the Board of Veterans' Appeals level; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to provide for review, as a matter of 
right, of a prior Board of Veterans' Appeals decision in which a 
claimant asserts there is a clear and unmistakable error, and to 
further provide for right of review of the Board's decision on this 
question by the United States Court of Veterans Appeals without 
necessity for a jurisdictional notice of disagreement.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 126--LEGISLATIVE

 supporting measures to require board of veterans' appeals compliance 
                      with due process procedures
    WHEREAS, the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) employs medical 
treatises to help it in determining certain medical questions; and
    WHEREAS, BVA also has limited authority to obtain independent 
medical and legal opinions; and
    WHEREAS, the United States Court of Veterans Appeals (Court) has 
ruled that BVA must provide an appellant with a prior notice of its 
intent to use such additional evidence or opinion, along with a 
statement of BVA's intended reliance on this material; and
    WHEREAS, notwithstanding the Court's ruling that this procedure is 
required for ``any evidence'' obtained by BVA, the BVA, according to 
its own contrary policy, does not provide a statement of its intended 
reliance for independent medical experts' opinions and certain other 
materials it obtains; and
    WHEREAS, this leaves the veteran in the dark about BVA's 
interpretation of such evidence, thereby preventing any opportunity to 
persuade a different interpretation; and
    WHEREAS, this contravenes BVA's duty to assist, is contrary to the 
non-adversarial nature of VA proceedings, and is a denial of due 
process as required by the Court's ruling; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports such regulatory or statutory changes as are deemed 
appropriate to require BVA compliance with these procedures.
                                 ------
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 127--LEGISLATIVE

 opposing broadening of board of veterans' appeals authority to obtain 
                                evidence
    WHEREAS, within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the 
various field offices have original jurisdiction over questions of 
entitlement to veterans' benefits and services and the Board of 
Veterans' Appeals (BVA) has appellate jurisdiction to review the 
adjudication of the field offices; and
    WHEREAS, it is the primary responsibility of the field office to 
develop the evidentiary record with evidence sufficient to permit a 
well-informed decision on a claim, with the BVA charged with the 
function of reviewing the propriety of the record development and 
decision of the field office; and
    WHEREAS, BVA must remand in the case of a deficient record to have 
the field office fulfill its responsibility to properly develop the 
record; and
    WHEREAS, BVA has limited statutory authority to directly obtain 
evidence itself, under very special circumstances; and
    WHEREAS, BVA seeks to broaden its authority to secure evidence 
although it barely has personnel and resources sufficient to accomplish 
its current responsibilities and although such action would only serve 
to encourage poor record development by field offices; and
    WHEREAS, the effect will be one requiring more VA claimants to 
appeal to have their records developed properly, will further divert 
BVA resources away from decision making, and will result in even longer 
delays for VA claimants; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes any legislative, regulatory, or administrative policy 
changes which would permit or authorize the BVA to directly obtain 
evidence, other than is currently expressly authorized by law.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 128--LEGISLATIVE

supporting legislation to preclude inappropriate remands from the court 
         of veterans appeals to the board of veterans' appeals
    WHEREAS, appellants, but not the Department of Veterans Affairs 
(VA), may appeal decisions from the Board of Veterans' Appeals (BVA) to 
the United States Court of Veterans Appeals (COVA); and
    WHEREAS, only appellants have the right to challenge the BVA 
decision, therefore; and
    WHEREAS, COVA nonetheless remands cases for further action and a 
new decision by the BVA based on the VA's motions for remand which 
contain VA's arguments of error in its own decision; and
    WHEREAS, this practice allows VA to appeal its own decision, to 
deprive appellants of their right to an independent review of BVA's 
decisions by COVA, allows VA to avoid scrutiny of BVA's decision and 
consideration of errors specified by appellants, and allows VA to 
attempt to gather new evidence on remand in an effort to provide after-
the-fact justification for the prior denial; and
    WHEREAS, appellants are not permitted remands merely to allow them 
to strengthen their cases; and
    WHEREAS, permitting VA to take cases back from the Court to the BVA 
allows VA an unfair advantage and is therefore prejudicial to 
appellants seeking independent review; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to constrain COVA from remanding cases to 
BVA for reasons argued by VA, over appellants' objections, and to 
prevent remands which permit VA to search for additional evidence in an 
attempt to justify the BVA denial.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 129--LEGISLATIVE

   supporting legislation to provide for judicial review of certain 
                decisions involving degree of disability
    WHEREAS, the United States Court of Veterans Appeals (COVA) has 
jurisdiction to review Board of Veterans' Appeals Decisions which 
resulted from notices of disagreement filed on or after November 18, 
1988; and
    WHEREAS, COVA has held that it does not have jurisdiction to review 
a decision on the degree of disability where appeal was taken on that 
issue immediately following the establishment of service connection if 
there was a pre-November, 1988, notice of disagreement on the issue of 
service connection, even though there was a post-November 19, 1988, 
notice of disagreement on the issue of the degree of disability; and
    WHEREAS, the issue of service connection and the issue of the 
degree of disability involve separate adjudications; and
    WHEREAS, when service connection is granted on appeal that totally 
ends that appeal, requiring a new notice of disagreement and a new 
appeal if the disability evaluation thereafter assigned is 
unsatisfactory to the veteran; and
    WHEREAS, COVA's reasoning is illogical in that it necessarily means 
the veteran's disagreement as to degree of disability, and notice 
thereof, preceded the adjudication on this issue; and
    WHEREAS, this ruling by COVA unfairly deprives some veterans of the 
right to judicial review; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to override this restrictive ruling by 
COVA and thereby reinstate the right to judicial review in these cases.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 153--LEGISLATIVE

         opposition to subjecting compensation to means-testing
    WHEREAS, the citizens of our Nation have heretofore honorably 
recognized their indebtedness to those who sacrificed in the service of 
their country by providing compensation as restitution for the personal 
injuries suffered in such service; and
    WHEREAS, a disabled veteran is rightfully entitled to restitution 
for the effects of service-connected disability during its 
continuation, without regard to good fortune or income of the veteran 
or spouse from sources wholly independent of the government's 
obligations to the veteran; and
    WHEREAS, it is fundamentally unfair for the government to seek to 
disclaim its obligation to disabled veterans or their survivors merely 
because of the receipt of other, unrelated income; and
    WHEREAS, notwithstanding the special status of disability and death 
compensation, there are efforts to reduce or eliminate it where the 
veteran or spouse, or survivor has other income; and
    WHEREAS, this degrades compensation by providing it to the extent 
of the veteran's or survivor's economic needs rather than a measure of 
restitution equal to personal losses, thereby disassociating 
compensation from that which merits it and associating it with factors 
which govern purely gratuitous and welfare benefits; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes any scheme to means test disability and death 
compensation.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 154--LEGISLATIVE

 opposing a freeze in the rates of va disability compensation benefits
    WHEREAS, no segment of our society is more deserving of federal 
benefits and services than those veterans who have incurred 
disabilities while serving their country honorably in time of need; and
    WHEREAS, under the guise of ``reducing federal expenditures,'' 
proposals have been advanced to freeze the current rates of VA 
disability compensation benefits; and
    WHEREAS, the disability compensation benefits of service-connected 
disabled veterans should be periodically adjusted to reflect 
inflationary pressures and the rise in the costs of goods and services; 
and
    WHEREAS, service-connected disabled veterans, who have suffered so 
much for their country, should not be expected to endure further 
hardships such as would occur should a cost-of-living adjustment be 
denied to their benefits; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes any freeze in the VA disability compensation program 
if such program is singled out (from all other major federal 
entitlement programs) for such treatment.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 157--LEGISLATIVE

     to provide an increase in the specially adapted housing grant 
            authorized by section 2101(a) of title 38 u.s.c.
    WHEREAS, section 2101(a) of title 38 U.S.C. authorizes a onetime 
specially adapted housing grant to veterans who have incurred the 
service-connected conditions of blindness, with loss or loss of use of 
one lower extremity, multiple loss or loss of use of extremities, and/
or loss of functions which affect balance or propulsion; and
    WHEREAS, the purpose of this grant is to enable such severely 
disabled veterans to provide necessary structural adaptations and 
modifications in their homes for comfort and egress; and
    WHEREAS, the current $38,000.00 maximum amount authorized for this 
grant is insufficient to allow such veterans to make all necessary 
adaptations and modifications; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation in the Congress which would provide a 
realistic increase in the grant authorized by section 2101(a) of title 
38 U.S.C.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 161--LEGISLATIVE

   eliminate the delimiting date for eligible spouses and surviving 
   spouses for benefits provided under chapter 35 of title 38 u.s.c.
    WHEREAS, dependents and survivors eligible for VA education 
benefits under chapter 35 of title 38 U.S.C. have ten years in which to 
apply for and complete a program of education; and
    WHEREAS, this ten year period begins either from the date a veteran 
is evaluated by the VA as permanently and totally disabled from 
service-connected disabilities or ten years from the date of such 
veteran's death due to service-connected disability; and
    WHEREAS, in many instances, because of family obligations or the 
need to provide care to the veteran, spouses or surviving spouses may 
not have had an opportunity to apply for these benefits; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks the enactment of legislation which would eliminate the 
delimiting date for spouses and surviving spouses for purposes of 
benefits provided under chapter 35 of title 38 U.S.C.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 164--LEGISLATIVE

 in support of legislation to allow for the payment of fees, expenses, 
 and court costs under 28 u.s.c. section 2412, equal access to justice 
act, to unsupervised nonattorney representatives practicing before the 
                     u.s. court of veterans appeals
    WHEREAS, attorneys practicing before the United States Court of 
Veterans Appeals (COVA) are allowed to collect reasonable attorney 
fees, expenses and court costs pursuant to the provisions of 28 U.S.C. 
2412, Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA), in cases where the government 
was not substantially justified in withholding benefits or services; 
and
    WHEREAS, COVA allows nonattorney representatives employed by 
veterans' service organizations to practice, unsupervised, before the 
Court; and
    WHEREAS, DAV attorneys and nonattorney representatives practice 
before COVA; and
    WHEREAS, COVA has recently determined that DAV's nonattorney 
representatives are not entitled to reasonable fees, expenses or court 
costs pursuant to EAJA; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation in Congress which would allow 
unsupervised nonattorney representatives to obtain EAJA fees under 28 
U.S.C. Section 2412.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 185--LEGISLATIVE

 revise the presumptive period in establishing service connection for 
                     amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
    WHEREAS, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) begins insidiously, 
involving degeneration of nerve cells, either in the brain, the brain 
stem, or the spinal cord, and is characterized by atrophy and, almost 
always, fibrillation of the muscular systems of the body; and
    WHEREAS, in its primary stage it is almost impossible to diagnose; 
and
    WHEREAS, the patient and doctor often believe that the condition 
causing the symptoms is arrested and nothing more is done to document 
the diagnostic entity; and
    WHEREAS, when ALS has definitely been diagnosed, it has a dismal 
and grave prognosis which inexorably leads to death within four to five 
years; and
    WHEREAS, the current presumptive period of one year from separation 
from active duty is grossly inadequate due to the insidious nature of 
this disease; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to amend 38 U.S.C. Sec. 1112(a) to 
increase the one-year presumptive period for ALS to seven years 
following release from active service.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 219--LEGISLATIVE

  supporting legislation to provide presumptive service connection to 
         atomic veterans for all recognized radiogenic diseases
    WHEREAS, members of the United States Armed Services have 
participated in test detonation of nuclear devices and served in 
Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Japan following the detonation of nuclear bombs; 
and
    WHEREAS, the United States government knew or should have known of 
the potential harm to the health and well-being of these military 
members; and
    WHEREAS, atomic veterans served their country with honor, courage, 
and devotion to duty; and
    WHEREAS, remedial legislation passed by Congress in 1984 has not 
been effective in providing compensation to those atomic veterans 
suffering from radiogenic diseases; and
    WHEREAS, by the VA's own admission, approximately no more than 50 
claimants have obtained disability compensation/dependency indemnity 
compensation pursuant to Public Law 98-542; and
    WHEREAS, the government has spent tens of millions of dollars to 
provide dose reconstruction estimates which do not accurately reflect 
actual radiation dose exposure; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to provide presumptive service connection 
to atomic veterans for all recognized radiogenic diseases.
                                       
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 220--LEGISLATIVE

    supporting legislation to allow all veterans to recover amounts 
              withheld as tax on disability severance pay
    WHEREAS, money received as a result of personal injury or 
disability is not taxable; and
    WHEREAS, disability severance pay is paid to a military member as a 
result of injury or disease suffered during military service; and
    WHEREAS, Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has, and continues to, tax 
military disability severance pay as regular income; and
    WHEREAS, a United States District Court has held that military 
disability severance pay is nontaxable income; and
    WHEREAS, the IRS has acquiesced in the District Court holding; and
    WHEREAS, the three-year statute of limitations prevents veterans, 
who have been discharged for more than three years from recovering the 
nontaxable money withheld by the IRS; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, strongly supports legislation which would allow all veterans 
to recover nontaxable income withheld from their disability severance 
pay, notwithstanding the three-year statute of limitations which would 
otherwise prevent such recovery.
                                       
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 221--LEGISLATIVE

 to support legislation that would exempt the benefits paid to wartime 
 service-connected disabled veterans from the ``pay-go'' provisions of 
                       the budget enforcement act
    WHEREAS, wartime disabled veterans have earned the benefits and 
services they, their dependents and survivors receive from the 
Department of Veterans Affairs as a result of the injuries sustained 
during their period of wartime service; and
    WHEREAS, the benefits and services received by wartime disabled 
veterans as a result of their service-connected disabilities is an 
extension of the costs of war; and
    WHEREAS, this country has a moral obligation to continue to care 
for these citizen soldiers who have risen in defense and support of the 
ideals of this great nation and who have returned to civilian life with 
service-connected disabilities; and
    WHEREAS, the benefits and services provided to America's veterans, 
dependents and survivors have not caused this nation's deficit 
problems; and
    WHEREAS, the so-called ``pay-go'' provisions of the Budget 
Enforcement Act require any new benefits or services to be paid out of 
existing benefits or programs, in effect, requiring one group of 
disabled veterans to give up a benefit or service so that another 
worthy group of wartime disabled veterans can receive benefits or 
services to which they are entitled; and
    WHEREAS, Persian Gulf War veterans suffering from ailments 
associated with their service in the Persian Gulf War are compensated 
from funds generated by cutting the benefits of other service-connected 
veterans and their survivors; and
    WHEREAS, the benefits and services provided to wartime disabled 
veterans are unique and are not a ``welfare benefit''; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to exempt VA benefits and services 
provided to service-connected disabled veterans, their dependents and 
survivors from the ``pay-go'' provisions of the Budget Enforcement Act.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 222--LEGISLATIVE

              liberalize criteria for agent orange claims
    WHEREAS, herbicides, the most potent known as Agent Orange, were 
used extensively and in great quantities in Vietnam; and
    WHEREAS, many veterans were exposed in varying degrees to these 
toxic defoliants and continue to suffer diseases of unknown origin; and
    WHEREAS, more than 250,000 Vietnam veterans, concerned over this 
exposure to herbicides, have been entered on the U.S. Department of 
Veterans Affairs Agent Orange Registry; and
    WHEREAS, the National Academy of Sciences, in studies mandated by 
the U.S. Congress, continues to review and evaluate scientific data to 
determine whether a direct link exists between dioxin exposure and 
certain physical disorders; and
    WHEREAS, the Disabled American Veterans continues to support the 
premise that such exposure is the proximate cause of certain health 
disorders; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports liberalizing the criteria for herbicide-related 
claims, including placing burden of proof for the award of disability 
compensation on the U.S. Government and not on the individual veteran, 
and making the U.S. Government responsible for providing needed medical 
attention, examination, care and treatment, as required by sound 
medical judgment, and where appropriate, awarding service-connected 
compensation on the basis of sound medical/scientific findings; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that those veterans now carried on the U.S. 
Department of Veterans Affairs Agent Orange Registry be given the 
opportunity for a prompt examination by the U.S. Department of Veterans 
Affairs unit to ascertain dioxin levels, and to determine whether 
shared medical conditions exist among them.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 223--LEGISLATIVE

   supporting appropriate relief for spina bifida in the children of 
                            vietnam veterans
    WHEREAS, there is evidence suggestive of a link between Vietnam 
veterans' exposure to the defoliant Agent Orange and spina bifida in 
their children; and
    WHEREAS, spina bifida can be disabling to varying degrees and can 
require medical treatment; and
    WHEREAS, these children's medical condition may be due to the 
exposure of their parents to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports the provision of appropriate relief to Vietnam 
veterans' children where the veterans were exposed to Agent Orange and 
the children suffer from spina bifida.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 224--LEGISLATIVE

opposition to reduction, taxation, or elimination of veterans' benefits
    WHEREAS, veterans' benefits are earned benefits paid to veterans 
and their families as a direct result of their service to the United 
States Government; and
    WHEREAS, veterans' benefits are a part of a covenant between our 
Nation and its defenders; and
    WHEREAS, certain government leaders have continued to attack 
veterans' benefits in an attempt to tax those benefits, reduce them, or 
eliminate them completely; and
    WHEREAS, these attacks are occurring on a more frequent basis, with 
more and more attacks every year; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, vigorously supports the protection of veterans' benefits from 
taxation, cutbacks, and elimination.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 225--LEGISLATIVE

      opposing the indexing of va disability compensation benefits
    WHEREAS, the Administration and the Office of Management and Budget 
have proposed that future adjustments in VA service-connected 
disability compensation benefits shall be automatically ``indexed'' to 
changes in the Consumer Price Index (CPI); and
    WHEREAS, adjustments of the benefit levels in this most important 
VA program have always been determined through legislative action by 
the U.S. Congress; and
    WHEREAS, over the years such legislated increases have resulted in 
more realistic levels for disabled veterans, improvement in other 
compensation related entitlements and a continued and active 
Congressional oversight over the entire compensation program; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, goes on record as being strongly opposed to the automatic 
indexing of future adjustments in the VA service-connected disability 
compensation program.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 226--LEGISLATIVE

                        expand pow presumptions
    WHEREAS, former prisoners-of-war (POWs) suffered cruel and inhumane 
treatment, together with nutritional deprivation at the hands of their 
captors, which resulted in long-term adverse health effects; and
    WHEREAS, POWs were subjected to numerous and varying forms of abuse 
dependent upon the place, time and circumstance of their captivity by 
the enemy; and
    WHEREAS, for this reason former POWs suffer from a wide range of 
different physical and psychological maladies; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation which would add those medical conditions 
which are characteristically associated with or can be reasonably 
attributed to the POW experience as presumptive disorders for former 
POWs.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 227--LEGISLATIVE

to compensate persian gulf war veterans suffering from unknown illness 
or disease circumstantially linked to their service in the persian gulf 
                                  war
    WHEREAS, the DAV has a significant concern regarding the multitude 
of ailments reported by a growing number of Persian Gulf War veterans 
who were exposed to both identified and unknown health hazards; and
    WHEREAS, Persian Gulf War veterans were exposed to numerous and 
various environmental health hazards, including smoke from oil field 
fires and other petroleum agents, depleted uranium, chemicals and 
biological elements, desert parasites, vaccines, chemoprophylactic 
agents and vehicle paints; and
    WHEREAS, primary investigations and multifarious studies have been 
unable to identify the source or sources of these ailments; and
    WHEREAS, the scientific/medical community's inability to identify 
the disease has caused considerable anxiety for these veterans and 
their families; and
    WHEREAS, there appears to be a commonality of ailments plaguing 
Persian Gulf War veterans; and
    WHEREAS, these ailments have been unofficially labeled ``Persian 
Gulf Syndrome,'' ``Multiple Chemical Sensitivity'' and ``Chronic 
Fatigue Syndrome''; and
    WHEREAS, these brave veterans suffering from these unknown ailments 
are often prevented from providing for their own basic needs and for 
the needs of their families; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, vigorously supports the Department of Veterans Affairs 
expeditious handling of Persian Gulf War veterans' claims and the 
payment of fair and just compensation for these unknown ailments; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we strongly urge that these Persian 
Gulf War veterans receive priority medical treatment for those ailments 
that may be associated with their service in the Persian Gulf; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we vehemently urge VA, DoD and HHS to 
continue to cooperate in tests and studies to unlock the mysteries 
surrounding the ailments suffered by Persian Gulf War veterans, 
including the possibility of exposure to chemical agents by U.S. 
military personnel.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 228--LEGISLATIVE

 supporting a change in regulatory requirements for a temporary total 
                      rating under 38 c.f.r. 4.30
    WHEREAS, with advances in modern medicine and increasing emphasis 
on more efficient use of health care resources, health care providers 
are being encouraged to utilize suitable alternatives to inpatient 
care; and
    WHEREAS, as a consequence, veterans are often treated through home 
health services or convalesce at home rather than in the hospital; and
    WHEREAS, convalescent ratings are currently only authorized where 
inpatient or outpatient treatment resulted in surgery or immobilization 
of a major joint by cast; and
    WHEREAS, there are instances where the veteran's treatment did not 
involve surgery or casting of a major joint, but the veteran has 
undergone healing, convalescence, or a therapeutic course in the home, 
with a duration of more than 21 days; and
    WHEREAS, exacerbation of a service-connected disability sometimes 
makes work activities contraindicated for periods of more than 21 days; 
and
    WHEREAS, in such instances, the therapeutic course, convalescence, 
or restriction from work would occur in the home in lieu of 
hospitalization for more than 21 days; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports a change in 38 C.F.R. 4.30 to provide for a temporary 
total rating if treatment or exacerbation of a service-connected 
disability results in a condition of temporary total incapacity for 
employment or temporary unavailability for employment by reason of home 
health care or ambulatory care, bed rest or confinement to the home, or 
contraindication of work activities for more than 21 days.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 229--LEGISLATIVE

supporting change in law to provide for commencement of payment period 
 for temporary total ratings for compensation as of date of entitling 
                                 event
    WHEREAS, prior to the addition of section 5111 to title 387, United 
States Code, by Public Law 97-253, the payment period for temporary 
total ratings for compensation purposes under paragraphs 29 and 30 of 
the Schedule for Rating Disabilities commenced the date of award of the 
temporary total rating based on the date of entrance into the hospital 
for service-connected disability, the date of institution of hospital 
treatment for a service-connected disability, or the date of qualifying 
outpatient treatment for service-connected disability; and
    WHEREAS, section 5111, added by Public Law 97-253, now provides 
that the payment period for such temporary total rating does not 
commence until the first day of the calendar month following the month 
in which the award is effective, except where hospitalization or 
treatment commences and terminates in the same month; and
    WHEREAS, veterans under a temporary total service-connected 
disability are, under section 5111, deprived of any increase in 
compensation to offset the total disability during the first month in 
which temporary total disability occurs; and
    WHEREAS, this deprival and consequent delay in the payment of 
increased compensation on account of total disability often jeopardizes 
the financial security of disabled veterans and often unfairly causes 
them hardship, NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation seeking an exemption of the temporary 
total ratings from this provision of section 5111 of title 38 U.S.C.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 230--LEGISLATIVE

   to establish section 5307 of title 38 u.s.c. as the sole means to 
                     compel division of va benefits
    WHEREAS, a primary purpose of section 5301 of title 38 U.S.C. 
exempting VA benefits from taxation and claims of creditors and 
preventing their exposure to legal claims of creditors and preventing 
their exposure to legal process, should be to maximize national 
uniformity in the protection afforded to VA benefits; and
    WHEREAS, a necessarily implied purpose of section 1115 of title 38 
U.S.C. is to provide support for dependents of VA beneficiaries; and
    WHEREAS, a primary purpose of section 5307 of title 38 U.S.C. 
empowering the VA Administrator to apportion VA benefits where a 
veteran's spouse and/or children live separately, should be to provide 
the means for achieving both uniformity of protection and support for 
dependents in such living circumstances; and
    WHEREAS, the U.S. Supreme Court's 1987 decision in Rose v. Rose, 
authorizing courts to compel veterans to pay VA benefits to dependents 
living separately, creates substantial risks that VA benefits will be 
divided on a non-uniform basis; and
    WHEREAS, extending the protection afforded VA benefits under 
section 5301 to claims of dependents living separately would enhance 
the likelihood of uniform treatment of VA benefits while preserving for 
such dependents both the availability of apportionment under section 
5307 for VA benefits and the availability of judicial process for 
veterans' assets not attributable to VA benefits; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to amend section 5301(a) of title 38 
U.S.C. to provide that, except as provided by federal statute, payments 
of benefits under any law administered by the Department of Veterans 
Affairs shall not be liable to attachment, levy or seizure by or under 
any legal or equitable process whatever, including court orders of any 
sort whatsoever, before or after receipt by the beneficiary.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 231--LEGISLATIVE

     supporting legislation to provide for waiver of premiums for 
            supplemental service diabled veterans insurance
    WHEREAS, section 1922A (a) of title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.) 
provides for supplemental service disabled veterans' insurance for 
totally disabled veterans, in an amount not to exceed $20,000; and
    WHEREAS, section 1922A (d) of title 38 U.S.C., provides that ``no 
waiver of premiums shall be made in the case of any person for 
supplemental insurance granted under this section''; and
    WHEREAS, such prohibition of premium waiver is based on the 
Servicemen's Indemnity Act of 1951, which states in part, ``[t]he 
amount of insurance placed in force hereunder . . . at the time of the 
insured's application for waiver hereunder, may not exceed $10,000'' 
(38 U.S.C. 1912 (d)); and
    WHEREAS, such denial of waiver on supplemental service disabled 
veterans' insurance for totally disabled veterans constitutes an 
inequity based on prior established standards; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to allow for the waiver of premiums, for 
any and all supplemental service-disabled veterans' insurance for 
totally disabled veterans that may be authorized by existing and future 
legislation; AND
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the criteria for total disability 
waiver of premiums, as mandated in section 1912 of title 38 U.S.C., be 
maintained.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 232--LEGISLATIVE

           to provide for a national cemetery in every state
    WHEREAS, there are many states and regions of the United States 
without National Cemetery facilities; and
    WHEREAS, federal and state land ideally suited for cemetery 
development is available in many states; and
    WHEREAS, veterans should be entitled to burial in a National 
Cemetery reasonably close to their homes; and
    WHEREAS, VA's current policy of regionalization does not always 
ensure that eligible deceased veterans can be interred close to their 
families; NOT
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to provide for at least one open National 
Cemetery in each state to ensure that all veterans may be buried in a 
National Cemetery reasonably close to their homes.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 233--LEGISLATIVE

       restore eligibility and increase burial and plot allowance
    WHEREAS, all veterans who have served their country honorably and 
faithfully are entitled to a decent burial and final resting place; and
    WHEREAS, the amount payable by the VA as a burial allowance ($300) 
and the amount payable as a plot allowance ($150) have remained 
constant for many years in spite of the inflationary spiral; and
    WHEREAS, Public Law 97-35, effective October 1, 1981, restricted 
the eligibility for the $300 burial allowance, greatly reducing the 
number of veterans who previously qualified; and
    WHEREAS, Public Law 101-508, enacted in November 1990, reduced the 
number of veterans who would have otherwise been eligible for the $150 
plot allowance; and
    WHEREAS, these restrictive measures enacted over time were intended 
purely as cost-savings measures without regard to intrinsic value of 
this final honor which was bestowed by a grateful nation; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, support legislation to (1) increase both the VA burial and 
plot allowance to a level reflecting the inflationary impact of the 
intervening years, (2) restore entitlement to the VA burial allowance 
to those categories of veterans eliminated by Public Law 97-35, and (3) 
restore entitlement to the VA plot allowance to those categories of 
veterans eliminated by enactment of Public Law 101-508.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 234--LEGISLATIVE

    supporting legislation to provide a headstone or marker for all 
                                veterans
    WHEREAS, title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.), chapter 23, section 
2306 authorizes the Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish 
appropriate government headstones or markers at the expense of the 
United States only for the unmarked graves of veterans interred in 
public or private cemeteries; and
    WHEREAS, veterans interred in a national cemetery, post, or 
veterans' cemetery owned by a state are furnished an appropriate 
headstone or marker at the expense of the United States; and
    WHEREAS, it is inappropriate and unfair to deny veterans and their 
families their rightful recognition of service to the United States by 
limiting the availability of headstones or markers at government 
expense to gravesites of veterans who have no other marker; and
    WHEREAS, it is inappropriate and unfair to deny veterans and their 
families their rightful recognition of service to the United States by 
limiting the availability of headstones or markers at government 
expenses to gravesites of veterans who have no other marker; and
    WHEREAS, the Disabled American Veterans desires that the U.S. 
Congress take appropriate action to correct this injustice and inequity 
to America's veterans and their families; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to amend 38 U.S.C., chapter 23, section 
2306 (a) by deleting the word ``unmarked'', thereby authorizing the 
Secretary of Veterans Affairs to furnish appropriate government 
headstones or markers at the expense of the United States for all 
graves of veterans interred in public or private cemeteries 
notwithstanding the presence of other markers on the grave site.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 235--LEGISLATIVE

              amend the vocational rehabilitation program
    WHEREAS, under current law, qualified and eligible disabled 
veterans are entitled to 48 months of education or training assistance 
under vocational rehabilitation; and
    WHEREAS, the disabled veteran must start and complete this program 
within 12 years following the determination of eligibility; and
    WHEREAS, many disabled veterans are unable to complete their 
training and attain suitable employment within 48 months and others are 
unable or don't need training within 12 years following initial 
eligibility; and
    WHEREAS, other vocational rehabilitation programs in the private 
sector and federal sector do not impose similar restrictions; and
    WHEREAS, we believe disabled veterans deserve no less; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 27-August 
1, 1996, seeks legislative change that would eliminate these two 
restrictions.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 236--LEGISLATIVE

                           expand vietnam era
    WHEREAS, the Department of Defense has recognized U.S. combat 
involvement in Vietnam by awarding the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal 
and the Navy and Marine Corps expeditionary Medals for service in 
Vietnam for the period of July 1, 1958, to July 3, 1965; and
    WHEREAS, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal and Navy and Marine 
Corps Expeditionary Medals are awarded for honorable duty within 
specified geographical areas, and specified times during period of war, 
national emergency, and for participation in specified military 
operation; and
    WHEREAS, during the periods of July 1, 1958, to July 3, 1965, many 
of our armed forces personnel were in Vietnam, in a hostile 
environment, training South Vietnamese military personnel; and
    WHEREAS, a number of our armed forces personnel were wounded, 
captured or killed by North Vietnamese troops or guerrilla forces 
during this period of time; and
    WHEREAS, Congress has amended title 38 U.S.C. section 101 (29), to 
include the term ``Vietnam Era'' as meaning the period beginning August 
5, 1964, and ending May 7, 1975; and
    WHEREAS, presently title 38 U.S.C. prevents veterans who served 
during the period of July 1, 1958, to August 4, 1964, from receiving 
``Vietnam Era'' benefits; and
    WHEREAS, most states adopt legislation affecting veterans' benefits 
to conform with the dates set forth in title 38 U.S.C.; and
    WHEREAS, a number of veterans who served in Vietnam between July 1, 
1958, and August 4, 1964, and their dependents and widows, are being 
denied federal and state veterans' benefits because of this unjust 
situation; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation that will provide for recognition by the 
Department of Veterans Affairs, under the provisions of title 38 U.S.C. 
section 101 (29), by changing the dates of the ``Vietnam Era'' to 
beginning July 1, 1958, and ending May 7, 1975.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 237--LEGISLATIVE

              opposing any reduction in veterans' programs
    WHEREAS, there is a concerted effort to streamline and make more 
efficient the federal government; and
    WHEREAS, the Vice President's National Performance Review 
(``Reinventing Government'') makes numerous recommendations which 
impact on the Department of Veterans Affairs; and
    WHEREAS, several of those recommendations appear to be directed at 
cost-saving measures rather than efficiency and effectiveness, NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, urges Congress to reject any proposed intention to 
``streamline'' government that would reduce or diminish VA's ability to 
properly serve and care for our nation's veterans.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 238--LEGISLATIVE

 opposing any authorization of use of members of the armed forces for 
   human experimentation without their knowledge and informed consent
    WHEREAS, those who serve in our Nation's Armed Forces make personal 
sacrifices to maintain our national security; and
    WHEREAS, members of the Armed Forces should be accorded special 
respect and the gratitude of us for whom they serve; and
    WHEREAS, their willingness to sacrifice and relinquish their 
liberty does not surrender their natural right to determine what shall 
be done with their own bodies and their right to personal dignity; and
    WHEREAS, it is unethical and a trespass against the person to use 
service members for human experimentation without their knowledge and 
consent; and
    WHEREAS, our government has in the past used military members as 
human guinea pigs to test the effects of harmful and injurious 
substances on the body; and
    WHEREAS, the Food and Drug Administration plans to make final a 
temporary rule allowing administration of experimental drugs to 
military members without their knowledge and informed consent. NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes any rule or provision that would authorize use of 
service members for human experimentation without their knowledge and 
informed consent.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 239--LEGISLATIVE

         oppose abolishment of committees on veterans' affairs
    WHEREAS, veterans, who have sacrificed to preserve our democratic 
form of government, deserve committees dedicated to their interests in 
the House of Representatives and Senate; and
    WHEREAS, the Senate and House Committees on Veterans' Affairs have 
been standing committees for many years; and
    WHEREAS, in the past there have been several proposals to abolish 
the Committees on Veterans' Affairs; and
    WHEREAS, the Senate and House Veterans' Affairs Committees have 
functioned as bipartisan committees to ensure that VA and American 
veterans receive the benefits they have earned by serving this Nation; 
and
    WHEREAS, the Government of the United States of America must never 
diminish the obligation that is owed to those who served in the Armed 
Forces; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes the abolishment of the Senate and House Veterans' 
Affairs Committees.
                                 ______
                                 

                           RESOLUTION NO. 240

   opposing the use of va generated savings for purposes other than 
                   restoring va benefits and services
    WHEREAS, a former Office of Management and Budget Director proposed 
to use savings from reductions in veterans benefits and services to 
revamp the welfare system; and
    WHEREAS, the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Acts of 1990 and 1993 
required the Department of Veterans Affairs to cut veterans programs by 
more than six billion dollars, which include the loss of compensation 
payments for certain incompetent veterans, elimination of Vocational 
Rehabilitation for some service-connected veterans, elimination of 
entitlement to Dependency & Indemnity Compensation for remarried 
surviving spouses and the elimination of cost of living increase for 
the Montgomery G.I. Bill educational benefits; and
    WHEREAS, in addition, the fiscal year 1996 budget proposed by 
Congress for veterans' benefits and services called for a seven year 
freeze in spending levels for health care and general operating 
expense, ignoring the fact that the Department of Veterans Affairs' 
current spending levels do not permit the timely delivery of health 
care and benefit determinations; and
    WHEREAS, the use of VA generated savings should be used for 
restoring VA benefits and services which have been taken away from 
America's veterans over the past several years; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, go on record as strongly opposing the use of VA generated 
savings for purposes other than restoring VA benefits and services.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 241--LEGISLATIVE

 to extend commissary and exchange privileges on the basis of an award 
                            of dic benefits
    WHEREAS, current Department of Defense regulations authorize 
military commissary and exchange privileges to a broad category of 
active and retired military personnel, their dependents and survivors; 
and
    WHEREAS, these regulations authorize such privileges to the spouses 
of living veterans who are permanently and totally disabled due to a 
service-connected disability and to the survivors of veterans who were 
permanently and totally disabled due to a service-connected disability 
at time of death; and
    WHEREAS, the survivors of veterans whose service-connected 
impairments were evaluated at less than totally disabling but whose 
deaths were determined to be service related are denied these 
privileges; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports the enactment of legislation that would authorize 
military commissary and exchange privileges for the survivors of 
veterans whose deaths were found to be related to a service-connected 
disability.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 242--LEGISLATIVE

 in support of cost-of-living adjustments (colas) for military retirees
    WHEREAS, COLAs for military retirees were reduced or eliminated as 
a result of legislation during 1986 and 1993; and
    WHEREAS, other categories of federal annnuitants and 
beneficiaries--Social Security and VA service-connected disability 
compensation and nonservice-connected pension recipients, for example--
were not subject to these same COLA restrictions; and
    WHEREAS, it is basically unfair--especially in the case of military 
disability retirees--to provide a COLA to one category of federal 
beneficiary while withholding such an adjustment from another category; 
NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation in the Congress which would ensure the 
timely extension of COLAs to military retirees when similar adjustments 
are being authorized for beneficiaries in the Social Security and Va 
benefit programs.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 243--LEGISLATIVE

extend military commissary and exchange privileges and space-available 
       air travel to certain service-connected disabled veterans
    WHEREAS, disabled enlisted personnel who were discharged from 
military service prior to October 1, 1949--the effective date of the 
Career Compensation Act--are not entitled to disability retirement from 
the armed forces; and
    WHEREAS, many service-connected disabled veterans have been 
deprived of the various benefits to which all other disabled retired 
military personnel have enjoyed; and
    WHEREAS, due to inflation, service-connected disabled veterans 
receiving VA compensation as a sole source of income are experiencing 
difficulties in keeping pace with the increased cost of living; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation which would extend military commissary 
and exchange privileges, as well as space-available air travel aboard 
military aircraft, to enlisted personnel who were discharged from 
active military service prior to October 1, 1949, for a service-
incurred injury or disease rated by the Department of Veterans Affairs 
as 30 percent or more disabling and who retained at least a 30 percent 
evaluation for a period of five years from the date of separation from 
active duty.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 244--LEGISLATIVE

 to extend space-available air travel aboard military aircraft to 100 
              percent service-connected disabled veterans
    WHEREAS, totally disabled service-connected veterans have 
sacrificed greatly in terms of their impairments and loss of earnings 
capacity; and
    WHEREAS, more than any other living group of Americans, such 
veterans should be eligible for all benefits and privileges that the 
Congress may provide; and
    WHEREAS, such totally disabled veterans should be extended the same 
privileges as other personnel currently authorized to utilize space-
available military air travel; and
    WHEREAS, the extension of such travel to totally disabled service-
connected veterans would not place any additional burden upon the 
administration of this program; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, seeks the enactment of legislation which would extend space-
available air travel aboard military aircraft to all 100 percent 
service-connected disabled veterans to the same extent and under the 
same conditions as is currently provided to retired military personnel.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 245--LEGISLATIVE

  in support of a military medal to recognize and honor the courage, 
 sacrifice and devotion to duty of those veterans exposed to ionizing 
                   radiation during military service
    WHEREAS, members of the United States military have participated 
(both willingly and unwillingly in test detonations of nuclear devices, 
served in Hiroshima or Nagasaki, Japan following the detonation of 
nuclear bombs, and served and continue to serve at duty stations on 
land, sea, and air where they are exposed to atomic and/or radioactive 
weapons, equipment, and nuclear reactors; and
    WHEREAS, this service has been in the performance of their duties 
as members of the United States Armed Services; and
    WHEREAS, the United States Government knew or should have known of 
the potential harm to the health and well-being of these military 
members; and
    WHEREAS, the honorable service of the men and women who were 
exposed to ionizing radiation during their military service has gone 
unrecognized by the military and our nation; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports the recognition of these brave men and women who were 
exposed to ionizing radiation during military service with the issuance 
of a military medal for their atomic/radiation service to acknowledge 
their courage, sacrifice and devotion to duty.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 246--LEGISLATIVE

  support for legislation to allow veterans' organizations to solicit 
                 contributions on post office property
    WHEREAS, the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) was founded on the 
principle that this nation's first duty to veterans is the 
rehabilitation of its wartime-disabled; and
    WHEREAS, it is the first duty of the DAV to assist the service-
connected disabled, his widow and survivors; and
    WHEREAS, DAV Chapters and Departments provide assistance to 
hospitalized and needy veterans such as donations to VA Medical 
Centers, financial assistance to needy veterans, meal programs, 
temporary housing, and transportation programs; and
    WHEREAS, the efforts of the DAV on behalf of this nation's wartime-
disabled veterans augments the government's legal and moral obligation 
to wartime disabled veterans; and
    WHEREAS, postal regulations, now being enforced, prohibit any 
solicitation on post office properties; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, supports legislation to allow veterans' organizations to 
solicit contributions on postal property.
                                 ______
                                 

                    RESOLUTION NO. 247--LEGISLATIVE

 opposing any legislation to reduce the number of judges on the united 
                    states court of veterans appeals
    WHEREAS, there has been a recent increase in the number of appeals 
being filed with the United States Court of Veterans Appeals (COVA), 
due in large part to increased production levels by the Board of 
Veterans' Appeals (BVA) and a large (10-15%) error rate in BVA 
decisions; and
    WHEREAS, there has been a large increase in the number of appeals 
to COVA filed by DAV during the second quarter of 1996 and it is 
anticipated that the large number of appeals filed by DAV will continue 
into the foreseeable future; and
    WHEREAS, any reduction in the number of COVA judges, below the 
authorized maximum number of seven, is premature and could cause long 
delays in the judicial appellate process; NOW
    THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Disabled American Veterans in 
National Convention assembled in New Orleans, Louisiana, July 28-August 
1, 1996, opposes any legislation that would reduce the number of judges 
on the United States Court of Veterans Appeal.
                                 ______
                                 
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Is there support for the motion? Mike 3.
    NEC 1st District Alternate Drogo. Frank Drogo, alternate 
national Committeeman from District 1, supports the report.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. We have the motion and the 
support. Are we ready for the question? Ready for the question? 
All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. It's carried.
    Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
    Mr. Giese. Thank you, Commander. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Now we'll go into the Constitution and 
Bylaws Committee for their final report. Mr. Daley.
    Mr. Daley. Thank you, Comrade Commander. Good morning, 
ladies and gentlemen. Copies of the proposed changes of the 
National Bylaws have been placed on your seats, and they are 
printed on both back and front.
    Before we get started, please turn to Resolution Number 209 
on your seats there. In rendering our National Bylaws gender 
neutral, we missed two places on this resolution which need to 
be called to your attention. Beginning four lines from the 
bottom, it should read:

         If no payment is made during three full membership years, he 
        or she is not thereafter a member. He or she may reinstate 
        their membership at any time by initiating additional payments.

    Yesterday's reading properly included these corrections. 
They simply were not corrected for this printing.
    Comrades, you may recall that the convention passed last 
year two constitutional amendments which would have rendered 
our National Constitution gender neutral. After repeated 
efforts to get our chapters to vote one way or the other on 
them, they failed for the lack of a three-fourths majority, and 
the count was as follows: total qualified chapters, 2,278. We 
needed a three-fourths majority, which was 1,709. Chapters 
ratifying Resolution 336 were 1525. Chapters ratifying 
Resolution Number 337 were 1,550. Three-fourths majority we 
need is 1,709.
    Now to the proposed amendments. I will read the RESOLVED 
one time only, as it is the same on each proposed amendment. 
Then I will read, as I did yesterday, the portion amended, 
which is usually a section or paragraph. In many cases, you 
have the surrounding language which has been printed, so that 
you can see where the amendment would be positioned in the 
Bylaws.
    We believe that this presentation makes available to you in 
clearer fashion just what you are being asked to consider. 
After I read each resolution, I will move for its adoption.
    Resolution Number 197. I'm going to read that RESOLVED 
once, ladies and gentlemen.

          RESOLVED to amend the indicated sections of the National 
        Bylaws of the Disabled American Veterans by adding/omitting 
        text as follows. (Omissions are indicated by lining through, 
        and additions are indicated by underlining.)
        Section 3.10. Rules of the Convention.
          (b) If such resolution proposes to amend the Constitution or 
        Bylaws, it may not be considered unless the proponent had it 
        read at the time the resolutions favorably reported by the 
        Convention Constitution and Bylaws Committee were read to the 
        convention in accordance with Section 3.10, Rule 21(d).

    Recommend Resolution Number 197 for its adoption.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 2.
    Mr. George H. Steese. George Steese, delegate, Chapter 1, 
California, seconds that.
    Commander McMasters. You've heard the motion and the 
support. Are we ready for the question? Ready for the question? 
All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed.
    In the interest of saving time, how about if we have him 
continue through these, unless there's an objection to 
something, and then approve them all with one or two motions? 
Any objections to that?
    Okay. Continue.
    Mr. Daley. Resolution 200, Section 6.4, Suspension and 
Revocation of Charters.

          Paragraph 4. When the charter of any chapter has been 
        revoked, all members of the chapter shall be transferred by the 
        national adjutant to the state at-large chapter. In the absence 
        of a state at-large chapter, the members shall be transferred 
        to the Nomad National At-Large Chapter.
          Paragraph 5. Upon revocation of the charter of any chapter or 
        county or district council where no state department exists, or 
        upon revocation of any charter of a state department all 
        property, money and effects of said state department, chapter 
        or country or district council shall revert to the national 
        organization, there to be held in trust for 18 months. In the 
        event the state department, chapter or county or district 
        council's charter is not reissued within the 18-month period, 
        the said property, money and effects shall become the absolute 
        property of the national organization. Disposition of assets of 
        units of the DAV Women's Auxiliary are controlled by the 
        appropriate provisions of their Constitution and Bylaws.
          Paragraph 6. Upon revocation of the charter of a chapter or 
        county or district council under the jurisdiction of a state 
        department, all property, money and effects of the chapter or 
        county or district council shall become the property of the 
        state department. Disposition of assets of units of the DAV 
        Women's Auxiliary are controlled by the appropriate provisions 
        of their Constitution and Bylaws.

    Resolution 200, I move for its adoption.
    Commander McMasters. I think what we're going to do at this 
time, Tom, is we're just going to continue and then, if there's 
no objection to that portion, we'll go on to the next one. And 
if we come up with an objection, we'll move all of the 
resolutions prior to that and then consider the objections 
separately. Okay? That'll speed it up.
    Mr. Daley. Resolution 201. Section 7.10, Term of Office of 
Certain Appointees.

          Paragraph 1. The term of office of persons appointed by the 
        national commander under Section 7.2 of these Bylaws and of 
        persons appointed by the national adjutant under Section 7.4 of 
        these Bylaws shall not exceed that of the appointing power and 
        may be terminated at any time by the appointing power, 
        provided, however, that the removal of the national adjutant by 
        the national commander is subject to approval by a two-thirds 
        vote of the National Executive Committee. The National 
        Executive Committee may, by a two-thirds vote of its members, 
        remove the national adjutant from office for cause.
          Paragraph 2. The term of office of all persons appointed by 
        the national commander under Section 7.2 of these Bylaws and of 
        all persons appointed by the national adjutant under Section 
        7.4 of these Bylaws terminates automatically at the adjournment 
        of each convention, except that such appointees who are not 
        employees of the national organization may continue to serve 
        until their successors are installed. There is no right 
        whatsoever to reappointment to any position held by appointment 
        under Section 7.2 or under Section 7.4 of these Bylaws.

    Resolution Number 202.

          Paragraph 2. The financial statements as required by these 
        Bylaws must be audited by an independent public accountant if 
        the gross annual income, excluding membership per capita, 
        exceeds $300,000 for all sources.

    Resolution Number 203.

          Paragraph 2. Each state department shall include the 
        following provision in its Bylaws unless prohibited by the 
        charitable trust laws of its particular state:
       ``This department recognizes the national organization known as 
Disabled American Veterans, incorporated by Act of Congress, and 
affirms its allegiance and subordination to the national organization, 
its Constitution, Bylaws and all rules, mandates and regulations 
promulgated pursuant thereto. Upon dissolution of the department, the 
assets remaining after the payment of its debts shall be distributed as 
provided in Article 6, Section 6.4, Paragraphs 5 and 6 of the National 
Bylaws.''

    Resolution Number 204.

          Paragraph 2. There shall be no form of unit rule or voting by 
        proxy.

    Resolution 205. Section 9.1: Chapter Constitution; Bylaws; 
Regulations. Article 9.

          Paragraph 2. Each chapter shall include the following 
        provision in its Bylaws unless prohibited by the charitable 
        trust laws of its particular state:
          ``This chapter recognizes the national organization known as 
        Disabled American Veterans, incorporated by Act of Congress, 
        and affirms its allegiance and subordination to the national 
        organization, its Constitution, Bylaws and all rules, mandates 
        and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Upon dissolution 
        of the chapter, the assets remaining after the payment of its 
        debts shall be distributed as provided in Article 6, Section 
        6.4, Paragraphs 5 and 6 of the National Bylaws.''

    Rsolution 206. Section 9.3, Financial Records, Reports.

          Paragraph 2. the financial statements as required by these 
        Bylaws must be audited by an independent public accountant if 
        the gross annual income, excluding membership per capita, 
        exceeds $300,000 from all sources.

    Resolution Number 207.

          Paragraph 3. The financial statements as required by these 
        Bylaws must be audited by an independent public accountant if 
        the gross annual income, excluding membership per capita, 
        exceeds $300,000 from all sources.

    Resolution Number 208. Section 10.3, Limitation of Powers.

          Paragraph 2. Each auxiliary and its subordinate units shall 
        include the following provision in its Bylaws unless prohibited 
        by the charitable trust laws of its particular state:
          ``This [type of unit] recognizes the national organization 
        known as Disabled American Veterans, incorporated by Act of 
        congress, and affirms its allegiance and subordination to the 
        national organization, its constitution, Bylaws and all rules, 
        mandates and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Upon 
        dissolution of the [type of unit], the assets remaining after 
        the payment of its debts shall be distributed as provided in 
        Article 6, Section 6.4, Paragraphs 5 and 6 of the National 
        Bylaws.''

    Resolution Number 209. This is the one that we made 
reference from the outset of this resolution. Section 11.5, 
Membership Dues.

          Paragraph 1. Membership dues shall be $20, and shall be for 
        the membership year or any part thereof. The membership year 
        starts July 1 and ends the following June 30th. All membership 
        dues will be applied toward becoming a member for life and will 
        be deposited directly in the individual's membership account as 
        established under Paragraph 2 below. Once the appropriate full 
        membership amount has been paid into the member's account, he 
        or she will no longer be required to pay dues.
          Paragraph 2. Those eligible who have not attained the age of 
        41 before July 1 of the current year may become a member for 
        life upon payment of $150. Those who are between the ages of 41 
        and 60, upon payment of $125; those who are between the ages of 
        61 and 70, upon payment of $100; and those who have attained 
        the age of 71 or over, upon payment of $75. Section 11.7, 
        Duration of Membership.
          All memberships will extend for three full membership years 
        from the date of the most recent payment, or (if and when paid 
        in full) throughout the member's lifetime. If membership is 
        paid in installments, payment notices will be sent to the 
        member as a reminder. However, the member may pay the balance, 
        or any part thereof, at any time. Distribution under Section 
        11.8 will only occur when there are sufficient funds in the 
        member's account. If no payment is made during three full 
        membership years, he or she is not thereafter a member. He or 
        she may reinstate their membership at any time by initiating 
        additional payments. Such payments will be applied to the 
        previous balance and be counted toward a fully paid membership.

    Resolution Number 210. Section 11.10, Multiple Memberships.

          No member shall hold membership simultaneously in more than 
        one chapter within the same state unless such other chapter is 
        composed exclusively of blind veterans or amputee veterans.

    Resolution Number 211. Section 12.1, Employment Policy. 
Article 12.

          Paragraph 2. No paid employee of the national organization, 
        hereafter referred to as ``the employer'', who is a member of 
        the DAV or its Women's Auxiliary and who has been so employed 
        continuously for a period of five years, shall be discharged 
        except for cause. 12.2, Procedure
          Paragraph 1. An employee described in Section 12.1, Paragraph 
        2 of these Bylaws may, within 31 days of receiving from the 
        national adjutant a written notice of discharge, make written 
        demand upon the national adjutant for a hearing before a 
        Hearing Board, as herein provided. Kindly turn the next page.
          Paragraph 10. Upon conclusion of the hearing, the Hearing 
        Board, by a majority vote, shall, after deliberation, render a 
        decision either that the former employee's discharge be upheld 
        or that he be reinstated with all pay and benefits retroactive 
        to the date of his termination. The decision of the Hearing 
        Board shall be final for all purposes and shall constitute a 
        binding arbitration, which the parties shall acknowledge by 
        executing an appropriate agreement in advance of the hearing.

    Resolution Number 212.
    Commander McMasters. Just a minute, Tom.
    Ms. Mary L. Cartwright. Cartwright, delegate from Chapter 
122, California. On these following resolutions, where you have 
missed the ``he'' or ``she,'' are you going to put that in?
    Commander McMasters. We're going to endeavor in all cases 
to make this document as gender neutral as we can. And if 
there's been an oversight at this point, it will be corrected 
before the final printing.
    Ms. Cartwright. All right. Thank you.
    Mr. Daley. Resolution Number 212. Section 14.4, 
Depositories.

          The National Finance Committee shall, by regulation, 
        designate one or more depositories for all revenue of this 
        organization.

    Resolution Number 213. Section 14.5, National Revenue; 
Deposit and Investment.

          Paragraph 1. All monies received in payment for membership 
        shall be deposited in a separate account in one of these 
        depositories, and all membership monies and securities shall be 
        kept separate from the general funds of the organization, 
        subject only to withdrawals to carry out the Life Membership 
        Program. The National Finance Committee, with the concurrence 
        of a two-thirds majority of the National Executive Committee, 
        shall authorize the investment and reinvestment of such 
        portions of the Life Membership Fund as it may determine to be 
        in the best interests of the Membership Program.
          Paragraph 3. The National Finance Committee shall provide in 
        its regulations that access to any safety deposit box can be 
        had only by the national adjutant and/or national comptroller 
        in company with one additional bonded employee designated by 
        the National Finance Committee. Disbursement of membership 
        monies from the checking account of the Life Membership Fund 
        shall be made upon life membership checks bearing the 
        signatures of the national adjutant and national comptroller.

    Resolution Number 214. Section 15.3, For Chapters, Women's 
Auxiliaries and NOTR.

          Paragraph 1. The revenue of chapters, Women's Auxiliary units 
        and subordinate units of the NOTR shall be derived from dues, 
        contributions and such other sources as may be approved by the 
        state department within the same is located. Where no 
        commissions are to be paid, and solicitation of funds shall be 
        only by personal contact of members, or friends of members, no 
        prior approval shall be required for a fund-raising project 
        where the gross receipts will be less than $5,000, provided, 
        however, that advance written notice of 30 days to the state 
        department shall be required on all such fund-raising projects. 
        (Such fund-raising must be in compliance with federal, state 
        and local laws.) All monies received by local chapters on fund-
        raising activities, except as may lawfully be required to be 
        paid to the state department having jurisdiction over such 
        chapters, shall be retained by such chapter. If there is no 
        state department, approval must be obtained from the National 
        Executive Committee.

    Resolution Number 215. Section 15.4, Women's Auxiliary 
National Organization.

          Paragraph 2. No state department of the DAV Women's Auxiliary 
        shall conduct any fund-raising project without the prior 
        consent of the DAV state department and the DAV National 
        Executive Committee.
          Paragraph 4. If any dugout or other subordinate unit of the 
        National Order of Trench Rats, or if any local unit or other 
        subordinate unit of the DAV Women's Auxiliary desires to hold 
        any fund-raising drive or fund-raising activity in the 
        territory of more than one chapter, such subordinate unit, 
        before asking for the required approval, shall give written 
        notice of its intention to ask such approval, with reasonably 
        detailed information about the proposed drive or activity, to 
        all chapters within such territory not less than two weeks 
        before seeking approval, and all such chapters shall have the 
        right to protest promptly to the state department or to the 
        National Executive Committee, whichever may have the power of 
        approval as set out above. Section 15.5, National Order of 
        Trench Rats.
          The national organization of the National Order of Trench 
        Rats shall not conduct any fund-raising project or fund-raising 
        activity without the prior consent of the National Executive 
        Committee.

    Resolution Number 216. Section 15.7, Supervision and 
Enforcement.

          Paragraph 2. Without limiting the remedies elsewhere provided 
        in these Bylaws, the national commander may, in his sole 
        discretion, direct an audit of the books and records of any 
        such subordinate unit. The national organization, an 
        independent account, or a certified public accountant shall 
        conduct such audit. The expense of such audit shall be borne by 
        the subordinate unit.
          Paragraph 3. Each subordinate unit subject to the provisions 
        hereof shall make available to the national commander or his 
        designee all books and records for inspection at any reasonable 
        time at its principal headquarters.
          Paragraph 4. Each subordinate unit subject to the provisions 
        hereof shall hold the national organization harmless from any 
        claims arising from approval granted or withheld by any 
        governing body hereunder, and the approval of such body is 
        specifically limited to the project submitted as a means of 
        fund-raising and may not be construed so as tomake the 
        approving body a party to any contract or obligation arising 
        out of the project.
          Paragraph 5. The national commander, acting pursuant to 
        Paragraph 2 above, in his sole discretion may order any 
        subordinate unit subject to the provisions hereof to cease and 
        desist from any fund-raising project deemed by him not to be in 
        the best interest of the Disabled American Veterans.
          Paragraph 6. This section shall be applicable to, and shall 
        be incorporated by reference into, all contracts entered into 
        pursuant to this Article. It shall be applicable to all parties 
        to such contracts. If projects are conducted without written 
        contracts but nevertheless pursuant to authority granted under 
        this Article, the rights, duties and obligations of the 
        subordinate unit and all parties thereto shall also be subject 
        to the provisions of this section.

    Resolution Number 217. Article 17, Articles of 
Incorporation. Section 17.1, Approval Required.

          Any subordinate unit, including but not limited to, 
        foundations, memorial homes, thrift stores and any other entity 
        which is now incorporated or desires to incorporate and use the 
        name of the Disabled American Veterans or the letters ``DAV'' 
        or any name similar thereto in its corporate name must submit 
        the proposed articles of incorporation and any bylaws or 
        amendments to the respective state departments and the National 
        Executive Committee for approval prior to filing and complying 
        with state law. They must contain the following provision, 
        unless the charitable trust laws of the particular state direct 
        otherwise:
          ``This corporation recognizes the national organization known 
        as Disabled American Veterans, incorporated by Act of Congress, 
        and affirms its allegiance and subordination to the national 
        organization, its Constitution, Bylaws and all rules, mandates 
        and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto. Upon dissolution 
        of the corporation, the assets remaining after the payment of 
        its debts shall be distributed as provided in Article 6, 
        Section 6.44, Paragraphs 5 and 6 of the National Bylaws.''

    Resolution Number 218. Article 18, Accumulation of Funds. 
Section 18.1, Definition of Terms.

          Paragraph 1. The ``funds'' referred to in this Article are 
        the liquid assets of subordinate units.

    Mr. Harold E. Wiley. Mike 1.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 1, please delay your comment 
until he's finished reading this part, and then I'll get to 
you.
    Mr. Daley.

          Paragraph 2. ``Service purposes'' are budgetary projects 
        recognized as service under these Bylaws and regulations 
        promulgated pursuant thereto.
          Section 18.2, Restriction on Accumulation.--Subordinate units 
        may not accumulate funds, whether for service purposes or 
        otherwise, in excess of twice the expenses of their last fiscal 
        year.
          Section 18.3, Expenditure of Excess Funds.--Paragraph 1. 
        Subordinate units whose accumulated funds exceed the amount 
        referred to in Section 18.2 above must comply with this Article 
        by expending such excess within a reasonable time.
          Paragraph 2. The expenditure of funds by subordinate units to 
        accomplish compliance with this Article must be for service 
        purposes.

    Commander McMasters. Okay. Mike 1.
    Mr. Wiley. Harold Wiley, Department of Washington, 46, 
delegate. I have a question on that in accumulation of funds. 
It appears to me that this would specifically prohibit a 
subordinate unit from accumulating funds for a building 
inasmuch as that may exceed the annual budget for two years. 
And I think this matter should be considered separately.
    Mr. Daley. That was incorporated under Rule 9, It's 
incorporated--this is a new resolution under 218, and that Rule 
9 incorporates this into Article 19, Accumulation of Funds. I 
think it stipulates that and it covers that.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. What I'm going to do at this 
time, I'm going to entertain a motion--are you ready for this--
a motion to accept or adopt Resolutions 200, 201, 202, 203, 
204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216 
and 217.
    Mr. George H. Steese. Mike 2.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 2.
    Mr. Steese. George Steese, delegate, Chapter 1, California, 
moves that we adopt those resolutions as read.
    Commander McMasters. We have the motion. Is there support? 
Mike 1, please.
    Mr. Harry I. Kabler. Harry Kabler, commander, Big D 
Chapter, Dallas 57, seconds that motion.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. We have a motion and support. 
Are you ready for the question?
    Member. No. Mike 2.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 2.
    Member. Resolution Number 216, the new Paragraph 3 as it's 
printed is stated as Paragraph 34. We need a little 
housekeeping.
    Commander McMasters. That's just a housekeeping thing. That 
will be corrected. But thank you for bringing that to our 
attention.
    The gentleman that was just at Mike 2, would you please 
identify yourself for the record, now that you've gotten back 
to your seat.
    Mr. Russell Bain. Russell Bain, Scott County Chapter 2, 
Iowa.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you.
    Are we ready for the question? Mike 1.
    Mr. William S. Goodwin. No. Bill Goodwin, Chapter 6, State 
of West Virginia. On Resolution 209, stating where a member can 
pay dues of $20 and be a full member for three years, I'd like 
to understand that. I don't understand how that goes. It says, 
``If a payment is not made during three full membership years, 
he is not thereafter a member.'' We could have members be a 
member of the organization for three years for $20, and after 
three years, he'd come back in, pay $20 and be a member for 
three more years.
    Commander McMasters. All right. That's not a change in the 
Bylaws, and that's not being considered. You can talk to 
Charlie Luttjohann, and he'll explain that to you and what the 
procedure is. But at this point, we are not amending that part 
of the Bylaws, and so your remarks are out of order. That is 
not a change at this point.
    Mike 3.
    Mr. John F. McCullough. Comrade Commander, on Resolution 
214--John McCullough, Genesee Chapter 3, Michigan.
    Mr. Goodwin. Sir, you say I'm out of order? How about 11.7? 
You did amend that.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 1, you're out of order. Mike 3 
has the floor. Continue, Mike 3.
    Mr. McCullough. On Resolution 214, does that include our 
Forget-Me-Not drives?
    Commander McMasters. The only change on that, John, is the 
addition of the words ``subordinate units.'' The remainder of 
it has already been part of the Bylaws at this point. That's 
another one where you'd have to get a clarification, if you 
need a clarification from someone. And you can ask that 
question of probably just about anyone later on.
    Mr. McCullough. Well, I keep seeing the word ``chapters'' 
in there, and this $5,000 figure, and we exceed that on our 
Forget-Me-Not Drives.
    Commander McMasters. That language has already been adopted 
by the organization, and it is not being considered for change 
at this time. The only change in that particular section is the 
addition of the words ``subordinate units.''
    Mr. McCullough. Thank you.
    Commander McMasters. All right, Mike 1.
    Mr. Donald M. Lindsay. Don Lindsay, Chapter 103, Houston. I 
wonder why we refer to the Auxiliary as Women's Auxiliary in 
several of these resolutions, beginning with 207 and going 
through 215.
    Commander McMasters. That one's pretty simple to answer. We 
didn't get enough chapters to respond to the changes we tried 
to make last year to the Constitution, and because of that, we 
still must refer to the Women's Auxiliary.
    Okay. Are we ready for the question now? All in favor, 
signify by Aye; opposed. That's carried.
    Okay. Let's consider 218. We had a question on 218.
    Mr. Jack F. Feighner. Comrade Commander, Mike 1.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 1.
    Mr. Feighner. Feighner, Cincinnati 1. Resolution 254 is 
strictly a housekeeping change of numbers. Let's pass that one 
first. I move that Resolution 254 be adopted.
    Commander McMasters. Is there support for that motion? Mike 
3. I'm sorry. Jack, what we're going to have to do is have that 
read. Are you asking for it to be read first and then we'll 
consider it?
    Mr. Feighner. Yes.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. Let's do that. Tom, do you want 
to read 254? We'll go through that, and then we'll come back to 
218. Okay? Just be ready.
    Mr. Daley. Resolution Number 254. Article----
    Mr. Feighner. Comrade Commander, point of order. Mike 1. 
Feighner, Cincinnati 1. While I agree that a change has to be 
read completely, the only change in this is changing it from 
Article 18 to Article 19, and I think if you read that, that's 
all that needs to be read.
    Commander. McMasters. Okay, sir.
    Mr. Daley. Under that Section 19.1, that Corporate 
Organization, Dissolution, Nomenclature, Seal, Section 19.1 
under Article 19; directing your attention to Section 19.2, Use 
of Members' Names and Addresses; Section 19.3, Rules of Order; 
Section 19.4, Certificate of Merit; Section 19.5, Amendments of 
Bylaws; Section 19.6, Captions; Section 19.7, Definitions and 
Interpretation. All of this is just a readjustment of 
numbering.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 3.
    Mr. George E. Morey. George Morey, Chapter 59, California, 
delegate. Move to accept.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. Moves the adoption of Number 
254. Mike 2.
    Mr. George H. Steese. George Steese, delegate, Chapter 1, 
California, seconds that.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. We have a motion and a support 
to adopt Resolution Number 254. Are you ready for the question? 
Ready for the question? All in favor, signify by Aye; opposed. 
That's carried.
    Now we will go back and consider 218. Mike 3.
    I'm sorry. Was the objection at Mike 1?
    Mr. Wiley. Yes, sir. Harold Wiley, Department of Washington 
Chapter 46 delegate. My objection was the Section 18.2 on 
restriction of accumulation. As I interpret this, this would 
specifically prohibit a chapter or subordinate unit from 
accumulating funds for a building for any length of time, and 
it is very reasonable to assume that, if you are accumulating 
funds for a building, it could exceed your previous budget for 
two years very easily.
    So I don't think this is reasonable.
    Commander McMasters. I'm going to have National Adjutant 
Wilson try to address your question.
    Adjutant Wilson. I think what you're reading into that sir, 
as long as those building funds don't exceed twice your last 
year's expenses. That could be a sizable sum. So if you had a 
building fund you were accumulating funds, so long as that fund 
itself doesn't exceed twice the last year's annual expenses. 
That's the intent of----
    Mr. Wiley. Yes, sir, I understand that, and that was my 
point specifically. For smaller chapters, they sometimes have 
to accumulate funds for two to three years in order to buy 
property and a building, and that is my point. And I will not 
belabor this any more. I just want everyone to consider that, 
because I believe you're putting a severe restriction there.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 2.
    Mr. Steese. George Steese, delegate, California. I move 
that we adopt Resolution 218.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 3.
    Mr. Morey. George Morey, delegate, Chapter 59, California, 
seconds that.
    Mr. John Cunningham. Motion on the question.
    Commander McMasters. I'm sorry. Mike 3 has the floor, 
please. Mike 3.
    Mr. Morey. Mike 3 moves to second that.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. We have a motion and a second to 
adopt Resolution Number 218. Mike 1.
    Mr. Cunningham. John Cunningham, Chapter 49, New Jersey. On 
18.2, ``Subordinate units may not accumulate funds, whether for 
service purposes or otherwise, in excess of twice the expenses 
of their last fiscal year.'' That does not tell you if they've 
already had accumulated funds which are greater than that 
expense what happens to those funds?
    Commander McMasters. In this case, refer to 18.3.
    Mr. Cunningham. But that only says that they shall not 
accumulate it in the past fiscal year. If it's been accumulated 
previous to that, then they should be able to keep it.
    Commander McMasters. This is already in effect under 
Regulation Number 9 as adopted by the NEC, all right? And it's 
explaining later on, you're talking about all the accumulated 
funds.
    Mike 2.
    Mr. Kenneth G. Musselmann. Ken Musselmann, past national 
commander. I also served on the interim committee this year, 
and just for a point of clarification, Commander, Section 18.3 
addresses that. That's right below it. It says, ``Subordinate 
units whose accumulated funds exceed the amount referred to in 
Section 18.2 must comply with the Article by expending such 
excess within a reasonable time.''
    I think that addresses this gentleman's question.
    Commander McMasters. Within a reasonable time.
    Mr. Musselmann. That's what happens to the excess 
accumulated funds.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. Are we ready for the question? 
You're ready for the question? All in favor, signify by saying 
Aye; opposed. The motion is carried.
    Mike 3.
    Mr. Edward M. Swan. Commander, Ed Swan, Metro Detroit 
Chapter 1. I would like for you to give me a recommendation on 
what we should do about this problem.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. I will talk to you about that at 
some other time.
    Mr. Swan. Okay. Thank you.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you.
    Mr. Daley. Commander, that completes the resolutions that 
the committee recommended for adoption. I'd like to thank the 
advisors, Fred Bristol, Ed Galian, Sally Wilson, and also the 
members of the Constitution and Bylaws for their support for 
these proposed changes.
    Commander, I move that the committee recommendations be 
accepted and that the resolutions be adopted, and that the 
committee be dismissed with a vote of thanks.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 2.
    Mr. Steese. George Steese, California Chapter 1, seconds 
that motion.
    Commander McMasters. We have a motion and a second to 
basically discharge the committee with a vote of thanks. Ready 
for the question? Ready for the question? All in favor, signify 
by Aye; opposed. It's carried.
    Thank you, sir.
    Ladies and gentlemen, please rise, and I'll ask the 
chaplain to lead us in prayer.
    Chaplain Wilkie. Commander, it's a pleasure today to 
welcome a guest to the platform, Rabbi Saffra, the new 
department chaplain of the State of New York. If I may, I'd 
like to ask him to offer our prayer. Rabbi Saffra.
    Rabbi Rafael Saffra. Thank you, National Chaplain Wilkie. 
Let us pray. Sovereign of the universe, we thank Thee, O God, 
for the deliberations this morning, for Your uplifting Spirit, 
and Your guidance, and we ask You as this day proceeds to grant 
us the wisdom and the good health as we enjoy the beauty of the 
day, the camaraderie and the friendship of each other in Your 
Holy work. And let us say amen.
    Commander McMasters. The convention stands in recess until 
Thursday morning at 9 o'clock. Thank you very much.
    [Whereupon, the meeting recessed at 11 o'clock a.m., July 
30, 1996.]

                         FINAL BUSINESS SESSION

                             August 1, 1996

    The Final Business Session of the 75th National Convention 
of the Disabled American Veterans convened in the Grand 
Ballroom of the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, New Orleans, 
Louisiana, Thursday morning, August 1, 1996, and was called to 
order at 9:00 o'clock a.m. by Commander Thomas A. McMasters, 
III.
    Commander Thomas A. McMasters III. The convention will come 
to order.
    Please join me in the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag of 
our country.
    [Pledge of Allegiance.]
    Commander McMasters. Chaplain, will you please lead us in 
prayer?
    Chaplain Wilkie. Once again, for a moment of silence, if we 
may. There are a number of our comrades who are ill, some who 
are in hospital here, have become ill since we arrived; others, 
of course, who are at home; many whose names are inscribed upon 
our hearts. Let's take just a moment of silence to remember all 
of those who stand in need.
    [Moment of silence.]
    Chaplain Wilkie. We pause again today, Father, with glad 
and grateful hearts, grateful that you have brought us through 
a day of seminars where our minds have been enriched, where 
we've been challenged, and where many have made deeper 
commitments to service to our disabled American veterans. We 
thank you for those who led the seminars and for those who 
attended.
    We thank you for the rest and for the fellowship we've had 
this past day, for the rest of last evening, for the 
refreshment of this morning. And now as we enter into this very 
important day of business, once again I lift up our commander, 
our adjutant and all of those to make reports. I lift up those 
who are to be nominated for office.
    Father, may all that is done in this day be to the glory, 
to the honor of Your Holy Name and to the benefit of our 
comrades wherever they are. Amen.
    Commander McMasters. Please be seated.
    Will you please welcome Reba Eslinger, Wisconsin, newly 
elected president of the Commanders and Adjutants Association 
for 1996-1997. [Applause.]
    Ms. Reba Eslinger. Good morning. I would like to announce 
the officers of the State Commanders and Adjutants Association, 
and would you please stand. Sloan Hoopes is vice-president; for 
the Executive Committee, Bill Brzezinski, Harry Yaukey, Jim 
Tanner, Ray Chatary and Dorothy Schilling.
    I would also like to announce the appointments, because 
these are people that are going to be working with the 
organization, and they have a lot to offer. Secretary-
treasurer, Dave Tannenbaum; judge advocate, Tom Daley; the 
chaplain, Al Melton; sergeant-at-arms, William Novak. On the 
Resolutions Committee, David Schiapo; June Springer, Stanley 
Miller; on the Audit and Finance Committee, Irvin Eddy, Bob 
Freitas and Tom Johns; on the Constitution and Bylaws 
Committee, Ken Musselmann, Paul Pealer and David Goliver; and 
then the Special Projects, Tom Campbell, James Stewart and 
Wally Tyson.
    That is our elected and appointed officers for the next 
year for the State Commanders and Adjutants Association.
    At this time, would Art Wilson come forward for a 
presentation? Art, on behalf of the State Commanders and 
Adjutants Association, I'd like to present you a check for a 
thousand dollars for the National Service Foundation. 
[Applause.]
    Thank you.
    Commander McMasters. At this time, I'm going to call on the 
Imperial Rodent, Al Nowak, to present the newly elected 
Imperial Golden Rodent, Curt Guiglaar.
    Mr. Alfred W. Nowak. Thank you, Commander. National 
Commander, National Adjutant, DAV members and guests: It is 
with pride that I stand before you as the Imperial Golden 
Rodent. With this pride, I can pledge that we, the National 
Order of the Trench Rats, will, as in the past, continue to 
support this great organization, the Disabled American 
Veterans.
    We were chartered in 1924 to support this great 
organization by helping the widows and dependents of our 
wartime disabled. I will do my best to see that we continue the 
support in 1996-1997. To date, we have contributed $181,793.36 
to the Legislative Fund; $22,450.33 to the Memorial Fund. And, 
as in the past, we would like to contribute this check in the 
amount of $4,000 to help continue the work in the many DAV 
service programs.
    During the period of 1995-1996, our dugouts' total 
contribution to the many causes are as follows: DAV chapters or 
state departments, $13,866; VAVS hospital, clinics and nursing 
care units, $27,882.72; within the community, $8,711.18; VAVS 
volunteer hours, 54,383 hours; VAVS events work, 316 events. 
This is with only 70 percent of our dugouts reporting.
    I will see that we stand before you in 1997 with even 
greater figures. Thank you for allowing us this opportunity to 
speak before you.
    In addition to this check for $4,000, I would like to 
present a check for $100 each for two of our deceased members 
in past years.

          WHEREAS, God has seen in His infinite wisdom to call to the 
        great beyond Kenneth G. Nowry, Imperial Golden Rodent Number 
        63, and Elmer E. Long, Jr., Imperial Executive Rat, District 9, 
        1995-1996; and
          WHEREAS, they did, by their acts and diligence as imperial 
        officers help lead the National Order of Trench Rats to the 
        prominent position it holds today in the service of disabled 
        American veterans;
          THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Order of Trench 
        Rats assemble at this 72nd National Rendezvous in New Orleans, 
        that we recognize the outstanding service by contributing a sum 
        of $100 each as a memorial to them to be placed in the trust 
        account of the Perpetual Rehabilitation Funds of the Disabled 
        American Veterans Service Foundation, the income of which shall 
        be used from time to time for the maintenance of the nationwide 
        rehabilitation activities of the Disabled American Veterans and 
        their dependents; and
          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that their names be inscribed on the 
        memorial honor rolls so all may see and appreciate their 
        sacrifices and devotion to the cause of the Disabled American 
        Veterans as exemplified by Kenneth G. Nowry, Imperial Golden 
        Rodent 63, 1987 to 1988, and Elmer E. Long, Jr., Imperial 
        Executive Rate, District 9, from 1995 to 1996.

    And I would like to introduce our incoming Imperial Golden 
Rodent for a few words, Curt Guiglaar. [Applause.]
    Mr. Curtis L. Guiglaar. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. 
I'm proud to stand before you this morning, and I pledge my 
support to the Disabled American Veterans and my organization, 
the National Order of Trench Rats. I feel, as all my brothers 
do, that if the DAV needs some help, please call upon us; we'll 
be there for you.
    Thank you very much. [Applause.]
    Mr. Norwak. Thank you. good day, God bless and have a safe 
trip home.
    Commander McMasters. They signed the important one; they 
didn't sign the two minor checks, though. [Laughter.]
    I'm formally announcing that the registration of delegates 
is closed, and I'm going to call on the Credentials Committee 
for their final report.
    Mr. Barnett. Good morning. And this is the final report and 
reflects the total registration as of 12:00 noon, July 31st, 
1996. At the present time, we have 590 chapters, 50 
departments, 27 national officers, 10 past national commanders, 
for a total of 1,365 delegates, 52 alternates, for a total vote 
of 10,753.
    This completes the final report of the Credentials 
Committee, Commander, and I move for its adoption.
    Commander McMasters. There's a motion for the adoption of 
the credentials report. Is there a second? Mike 2.
    Mr. Sidney Bick. Sidney Bick, past department commander, 
Illinois, delegate, Chapter 47, seconds the motion.
    Commander McMasters. There's a motion and support. Are we 
ready for the question? Are we ready for the question. All in 
favor, signify by Aye; opposed. It's carried.
    I'm going to call on the chairman of the Nominations 
Committee for his report.
    Mr. Dennis A. Joyner. Thank you, Commander. Comrade 
Commander and delegates: The National Convention Committee on 
Nomination of National Officers was called to order for its 
first business session on July 29th, 1996 by Committee Advisors 
Gene Murphy and William Leach.
    The first order of business was the election of a 
convention committee chairman. Dennis Joyner of Florida was 
nominated for chairman. There being no further nominations, 
nominations were closed, and Dennis Joyner was elected 
chairman. The next order of business was the nomination and 
election of a secretary. Michael Tempesta of California was 
nominated and elected as secretary of the committee.
    The committee interviewed 13 candidates over the next three 
days. The following is the recommendation of the Nominating 
Committee for the offices.
    For the office of national commander, Gregory C. Reed of 
Indiana; for the office of national senior vice-commander, 
Harry R. McDonald, Jr., Florida; for the office of national 1st 
junior vice-commander, William D. Wiggins of Virginia; for the 
office of national 2nd junior vice-commander, Andrew A. Kistler 
of Pennsylvania; for the office of national 3rd junior vice-
commander, Michael E. Dobmeier, North Dakota; for the office of 
national 4th junior vice-commander, Richard Christopher of 
Massachusetts; for the office of national judge advocate, 
Edward G. Galian of New York; and for the office of national 
chaplain, the Reverend Carl E. Bergstrom of Massachusetts.
    Comrade Commander, this completes the report of the 
Committee on Nomination of National Officers, and I move the 
acceptance of this report and that the committee be discharged 
with the thanks of the convention.
    Commander McMasters. Mike 3.
    NEC 1st District Alternate Drogo. Commander, I'd like to 
second that motion on the acceptance of the Nominating 
Committee. Frank Drogo, alternate National Executive 
Committeeman from District 1.
    Commander McMasters. We have the motion and the second. 
Ready for the question? Ready for the question? All in favor, 
signify by Aye; opposed. It's carried. [Applause.]
    You have heard the report of the Committee on Nomination of 
National Officers. They have nominated Gregory C. Reed form 
Indiana for national commander. Here to second the nomination 
is Jim Powers.
    Mr. James S. Powers. National Commander, National Adjutant, 
national officers, ladies and gentlemen: It is with great 
pleasure that the Department of Indiana places the name of 
Gregory C. Reed in nomination for the high office of national 
commander for the DAV.
    Greg was born in Indianapolis, Indiana and after graduating 
from high school, enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 
1966. He subsequently served in Vietnam with the 3rd Battalion, 
26th Marines and the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. It is while 
Greg was serving with the 2nd Platoon, Lima Company, 3rd of the 
4th, that he was wounded during a fire fight in Vietnam's Quang 
Tri Province. Greg holds the Purple Heart, combat action 
ribbon, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, and the Presidential 
Unit Citation.
    Following his discharge for active duty, he signed up in 
the DAV as a life member of Dr. Worthington Chapter 3, while 
pursuing and undergraduate degree at Indiana University. He has 
served in a variety of elected offices at the chapter level, 
including commander. After graduating from Indiana University 
in 1972, Greg became employed as a national service officer and 
remained in that capacity untill 1974, when he began graduate 
studies at Butler University, where he began graduate studies 
at Butler University, where he finished a master's degree in 
1977. Since that time, he has worked in the field of 
rehabilitation counseling, continually working with his fellow 
disabled veterans.
    While pursuing his educational goals, this candidate 
continued to be active in the DAV at both chapter and 
department level, culminating in 1980 as department commander 
for the State of Indiana. Through continuing to function at the 
department level in a variety of offices, including assistant 
adjutant and Finance Committee chairman, he became increasingly 
active at the national level as well.
    Since 1981, his national responsibilities have included 
appointments to the National Interim Employment Committee and 
the National Interim Hospital and Medical Services Committee. 
Mr. Reed has served two two-year terms on the DAV's National 
Executive Committee and has been elected to national vice-
commander positions at four national conventions.
    In addition to his DAV activities, Greg also holds 
membership in the American Legion, the Military Order of the 
Purple Heart. He is a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in 
Indianapolis, and is a very proud father of two daughters, 
Suzette, who is a critical care RN, and Melissa, who's recently 
graduated from Indiana University and is employed as a 
therapeutic recreational specialist.
    Mr. Gregory C. Reed was very instrumental and has been the 
main force behind Indiana's Homeless Veterans Stand-Down Meals. 
We have fed over 3,000 veterans and families the past four 
years. Mr. Reed has given of himself to include going out on 
Christmas Eve, December the 24th, 1995 to deliver blankets, 
clothes and food to the homeless and their families.
    Mr. Reed was quoted in the DAV National Magazine issue of 
March-April of 1996, ``Like most people, I was thinking about 
being at home exchanging gifts with my family, but as I walked 
along those abandoned railroad tracks toward where the homeless 
men were living, I truly understood the meaning of Christmas 
and what it is to give to others, not what we receive.''
    Mr. Reed's guidance and dedication to Indiana's homeless 
veterans and their families are a credit to the Disabled 
American Veterans.
    In summary, our candidate is committed to continuing the 
legacy of this great organization with its continued 
involvement in service work to this country's wartime disabled. 
Additionally, Greg also desires more involvement among Vietnam 
veterans at chapter level and a greater participation among 
departments in community programs for veterans.
    Thank you. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. The Chair will now call for any 
further nominations for the office of national commander. Are 
there any further nominations for the office of national 
commander? Are there any further nominations for the office of 
national commander? Hearing none, I close nominations and 
declare Gregory C. Reed elected as national commander, and 
instruct the national adjutant to cast one unanimous ballot for 
his election.
    Adjutant Wilson. I, Arthur H. Wilson, national adjutant of 
the Disabled American Veterans, hereby cast one unanimous 
ballot for Gregory C. Reed for the office of national 
commander. [Rising applause.]
    Commander McMasters. The Nominating Committee has nominated 
Harry R. McDonald from the State of Florida for the office of 
national senior vice-commander. I will now call for any further 
nominations for national senior vice-commander. Are there any 
further nominations for the office of nations senior vice-
commander? Any further nominations for national senior vice-
commander? If there are no further nominations for national 
senior vice-commander, I close the nominations and declare 
Harry R. McDonald, Jr. of Florida elected as national senior 
vice-commander.
    The Nominating Committee has nominated William Wiggins from 
Virginia for the office of national 1st junior vice-commander. 
I will now call for any further nominations for the office of 
national 1st junior vice-commander. Are there any further 
nominations for nations 1st junior vice-commander? Any further 
nominations for national 1st junior vice-commander? Hearing 
none, I will close the nominations and declare William D. 
Wiggins of Virginia elected as national 1st junior vice-
commander. [Applause.]
    The Nominating Committee has nominated Andrew A. Kistler of 
Pennsylvania for the office of 2nd junior vice-commander. I 
will now call for any further nominations for the office of 
national 2nd junior vice-commander. Are there any further 
nominations for the office of national 2nd junior vice-
commander? Are there any further nominations for the office of 
2nd junior vice-commander? If there are no further nominations, 
I will now close the nominations and declare Andrew A. Kistler 
of Pennsylvania elected national 2nd junior vice-commander. 
[Applause.]
    The Nominating Committee has nominated Michael E. Dobmeier 
of North Dakota for the office of national 3rd junior vice-
commander. I will now call for any further nominations for 
national 3rd junior vice-commander. Are there any further 
nominations for national 3rd junior vice-commander? Are there 
any further nominations for the office of national 3rd junior 
vice-commander? If there are no further nominations, I will 
close nominations and declare Michael E. Dobmeier elected 
national 3rd junior vice-commander. [Applause.]
    The Nominating Committee has nominated Richard Christopher 
of Massachusetts for the office of national 4th junior vice-
commander. Are there any further nominations for national 4th 
junior vice-commander? Are there any further nominations for 
the office of national 4th junior vice-commander? Hearing none, 
I will close the nominations and declare Richard Christopher of 
Massachusetts elected national 4th junior vice-commander. 
[Applause.]
    The Nominating Committee has nominated Edward Galian of New 
York for the office of national judge advocate. I will now call 
for any further nominations for the national judge advocate. 
Are there any further nominations for the office of national 
judge advocate? Are there any further nominations for the 
office of national judge advocate? Hearing none, I declare the 
nominations closed, and I declare Ed Galian as being elected 
our national judge advocate. [Applause.]
    The Nominating Committee has nominated Carl E. Bergstrom 
for the office of national chaplain. Are there any further 
nominations for the office of national chaplain? Are there any 
further nominations for the office of national chaplain? Are 
there any further nominations for the office of national 
chaplain? If there are no further nominations, I close the 
nominations and declare Carl E. Bergstrom elected as national 
chaplain. [Applause.]
    I will now instruct the national adjutant to cast one 
unanimous ballot for these officers.
    Adjutant Wilson. I, Arthur H. Wilson, national adjutant of 
the Disabled American Veterans, cast one unanimous ballot for 
Harry McDonald for national senior vice-commander [applause]; 
William Wiggins for national 1st junior vice-commander 
[applause]; Andrew Kistler for national 2nd junior vice-
commander [applause]; Michael Dobmeier for national 3rd junior 
vice-commander [applause]; Richard Christopher for national 4th 
junior vice-commander [applause]; Edward Galian for national 
judge advocate [applause]; and the Reverend Carl Bergstrom for 
national chaplain. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you, Mr. Adjutant.
    May we have the newly elected officers and their families 
escorted to the stage, please?
    We are now going to have Greg's daughters present him with 
the hat. [Applause.]
    It is my pleasure to present National Commander-Elect 
Gregory C. Reed of Indiana for remarks. [Applause.]
    Commander-Elect Reed. Thank you, Tom. Thank you, Suzette 
and Melissa. I'm the proud father of those two young ladies 
back here. [Applause.]
    I'd like for all the members of the 13th District to please 
stand., Indiana, Kentucky. Thank you. Without you, I wouldn't 
be here. Thank you very, very much. [Applause.]
    National Commander McMasters, National Adjutant Art Wilson, 
honored guests, friends and delegates to the 75th National 
Convention of the Disabled American Veterans: Winston 
Churchill, the Prime Minister of Great Britain during the 
darkest hours of World War II, once said, ``I never say, `It 
gives me great pleasure to speak to any audience, because there 
are only a few activities from which I derive intense pleasure, 
and speaking is not one of them.' '' It was a rule he violated 
only once.
    At the Other Club, an informal group he organized to 
discuss ideas and politics, a standard custom was a spur-of-
the-moment talk. From one hat the name of a member was drawn, 
and from another a topic. Once, Churchill's name was drawn 
along with the subject, sex. Churchill rose, and pointing to 
the card began, ``It gives me great pleasure,'' and then sat 
down. [Laugher.]
    Like Mr. Churchill, I, too, am more than a little 
uncomfortable with speaking in public. So, ladies and 
gentlemen, I promise you that I shall be as brief as possible, 
no matter how long it takes. [Laughter.]
    I am truly honored by the opportunity to serve as your 
national commander. It is a privilege that fills my heart with 
gratitude and humility, an honor that inspires me to carry on 
with hope and courage the great legacy of this organization we 
call the DAV, a legacy that strives daily to help fulfill the 
dreams of all of those who bear the scars of war.
    I want to talk for a moment about something that concerns 
all of us in the DAV. No, I don't mean sex. I want to talk 
about getting involved, actively involved in your local DAV 
chapter, and I particularly want to address my remarks to 
Vietnam and post-Vietnam-Era veterans. As everyone knows, 
people have been gathering together in groups for the benefit 
of the individual for as long as, well, for a long as there 
have been people, because as a group you can accomplish more, 
exchange ideas, support one another and change things for the 
better.
    DAV members have been gathering, exchanging, supporting and 
changing things for the better for disabled veterans and their 
families for 76 years, and nobody does it better.
    I learned so many of life's lessons while serving in the 
Marine Corps during the Vietnam War, lessons embodied in the 
phrases ``doing your duty goes beyond the call''; ``adversity 
is the key to success.'' In other words, the more obstacles 
that get tossed in your way, the harder you work to overcome 
them. Disabled veterans and their families know all about 
adversity and about overcoming obstacles, sacrifice and going 
beyond the call.
    Today, our nation finds itself on the threshold of a new 
era. The long Cold War has come to an end, and America faces a 
new horizon. The DAV faces new challenges as well. We all stand 
at the dawn of a new century. Never before has unity been so 
very important. The time when World War II and Korean veterans 
stood as the active cornerstone in our chapters is fading. Many 
of these veterans who championed our cause are no longer able 
to remain as active as they would like, due to age and physical 
limitations.
    It is truly a time of rapid and sometimes troubling change, 
and it is happening at a time when the current political 
climate in our nation's capital is becoming extremely hazardous 
to the health and welfare of disabled veterans and their 
families. Americans learned long ago that the blessings of 
freedom are never easy and never free. They must always be 
defended.
    In the desert, they call something you can see in the 
distance but disappears once you get there a mirage. Next thing 
you know, they'll call it veterans' benefits. Constant threats 
of reductions, curtailments and outright elimination of 
service-connected veterans earned entitlements and beneficial 
Department of Veterans Affairs programs are fast approaching 
reality in a changing and emotionally charged political 
atmosphere.
    One reason for this change? The diminishing number of 
veterans in Congress is reducing the sensitivity of our elected 
leaders to veterans' issues. Currently, little more than half 
of all the U.S. Senators and a third of all Representatives are 
veterans. The growing number of nonveterans in Congress 
requires an ongoing commitment to educating its members.
    Everyone understands that balancing the federal budget 
requires sacrifice. However, it must never be forgotten what 
veterans have already sacrificed when they answered their 
country's call to defend our precious freedom. Today, with 
fewer veterans in Congress, we must ensure that our elected 
leaders understand that veterans' benefits are a continuing 
cost of war and a debt never to be forgotten.
    As President Lincoln pledged at Gettysburg to care for our 
nation's veterans, today's Congress has an ongoing obligation 
to honor that solemn promise. In its efforts to balance the 
budget, Congress should not turn its back on those who have 
given so much and only ask to be treated fairly.
    Every generation of Americans inherits the complex work of 
maintaining the greatest democracy the world has ever seen. Our 
World War II and Korean War veterans and the families of those 
veterans should feel a sense of enormous accomplishment. They 
went beyond the call and maintained their watch with valor and 
dignity. Because of what was achieved during World War II, 
Historian Stephen Ambrose labeled the 20th the American 
century. That generation of Americans born between 1900 and 
1930 made victory possible. Without their sacrifices, it could 
not have been done, he concluded.
    Now that valiant generation of Americans is holding out the 
cherished torch of service to Vietnam veterans and post-Vietnam 
Era veterans as well. Their challenge must become our 
challenge. Their spirit must become ours as well. We who are 
the heirs of that legacy must also be the guardian of their 
dreams. Now is the time for each of you to accept that torch 
and carry its flame, brighter than ever before, into the 
future.
    Please consider this: Lots of local chapters have real 
clout with their elected officials, and the bigger their 
membership, the more that they are listened to. It's at the 
chapter level that the true grass-roots service on behalf of 
disabled veterans and their families takes place.
    If you're not an active chapter member, you probably don't 
appreciate how much of the load those big chapters and those 
veterans are doing for you. Now that you know, the question is, 
isn't getting involved in your local DAV chapter in your own 
and your family's best interests?
    Ultimately, all that any of us can do for the DAV is to do 
our part during one time. We cannot rewrite the past, nor can 
we guarantee the future. But we can and must be vigilant in the 
time given to us. In order to succeed, we must stand united in 
purpose and mighty in spirit as never before. The first and 
great commandment is, don't be afraid. The DAV will endure, but 
only if we stand up for it. Together we are one.
    Departments and chapters that are constantly rejuvenating 
themselves are a key ingredient into the future. A mix of older 
and younger members is healthiest, both for the chapters as 
well as this national organization. We all need to fight to 
protect health care Programs for our older veterans. Similarly, 
we need younger veterans to help energize the entire 
membership. New volunteers are needed to carry the legislative 
fights as never before. Each of us must continue the remind 
Congress that we are still around, that we vote, that we know 
the issues at hand. Together, we are one.
    We must reemphasize that we are a vigorous, responsible, 
nationwide organization that intends to keep fighting at the 
polls and elsewhere for needed veterans' programs. Never again 
should we allow those in Washington to cast votes against the 
best interests of America's veterans.
    While congressional leaders attempt to carry out their 
``Contract With America,'' we must ensure that they are mindful 
of another contract to which they have a moral commitment, a 
contract with America's veterans. Together we are one.
    I'm reminded of an old African proverb which says, ``The 
gazelle must run faster than the fastest lion or be eaten, and 
the lion must outrun the slowest gazelle or starve.'' It 
doesn't matter whether you're lion or a gazelle. When the sun 
comes up, you'd better be running.
    As your national commander, that's exactly what I plan to 
do. When the sun comes up each day, I'll be running to ensure 
that our hard-earned benefits are protected; running to recruit 
new members to our organization; running to educate the growing 
number of nonveterans in Congress; running to strengthen our 
ability to generate grass-roots support for legislative issues 
that are vital to disabled veterans and their families; running 
to help our homeless veterans living on the fringe of society; 
running to eliminate the fear that too many widows of disabled 
veterans feel as they struggle to make ends meet; running to 
ensure adequate health care and compensation for those who have 
contributed so much to preserve our way of life; running to 
eradicate the barriers that separate many veterans from the 
rest of our society. Running together with our families and 
friends, we are one.
    In closing, let me share with you a story that applies to 
all of us who serve veterans. In ancient times, there was a 
philosopher who had many disciples. One day, a cynical young 
man decided to humiliate the philosopher by asking him a 
question that be couldn't possibly answer correctly. The cynic 
put a recently hatched chick in the palm of his hand and asked 
the philosopher in front of a large audience whether what he 
had in his hand was alive or dead.
    His intention, if the philosopher said, ``Alive,'' was to 
crush the chick to death and show the master to be wrong. If 
the philosopher said, ``Dead,'' then he planned to let the 
chick live to prove the great man wrong. In response to the 
question, the philosopher looked the cynic in the eye, smiled 
and calmly replied, ``The answer, my son, lies in your hands.''
    Well, like that young man, the future of the DAV and all 
the good things we stand for lies in our hands. Our actions 
over the next few years will determine whether the DAV as we 
know it today will be alive and will thrive, or only be a 
memory. Just remember, together we are one.
    God bless you and thank you very must for the honor you've 
bestowed on me, [Rising applause.]
    Commander McMasters. National Senior Vice-Commander Harry 
R. ``Mac'' McDonald, Jr., would you care to say something? 
[Applause.]
    Senior Vice-Commander-Elect McDonald. Commander McMasters, 
Commander-Elect Reed, national officers, distinguished guests, 
members: It is indeed a pleasure for me to stand up here this 
morning--I'm a little past the other age--to greet you and to 
wish Commander Reed a very productive year. We have had three 
great years, and I'm looking forward to the fourth one.
    And would the Department of Florida stand up, please? 
Without your support, it would have been impossible. I 
appreciate it, and I appreciate all of your support. Thank you 
very much. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. National 1st Junior Vice-Commander 
William D. Wiggins, would you care to say something? 
[Applause.]
    1st Junior Vice-Commander-Elect Wiggins. Commander 
McMasters, Commander-Elect Reed, fellow members of the DAV: I 
stand before you very humble today. Twenty-five years ago, I 
never realized I would be standing here in this position, but 
it feels great.
    If Billy Hightower is in the room, would he please stand 
up? Thank you. Billy Hightower is my sponsor, my dear fried for 
many, many years, and I thank you for that, Billy.
    For the Department of Virginia, our dynamic department 
commander, June Springer; our department adjutant, David 
Tannenbaum; Jim Clem; Rob Reynolds, many, many others, would 
you stand up, all of you? [Applause.] I thank you for your hard 
work in helping me with this. It's really appreciated.
    And now for the 6th District, the greatest district in this 
organization, if you can, would you stand up? [Applause.] 
Thanks very much.
     I pledge to Commander Reed my total support during the 
next year.
    And I have done this personally, but I would still like to 
congratulate Commander McMasters for his outstanding year. 
Thank you. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. National 2nd Junior Vice-Commander 
Andrew A Kistler. Would you care to say something, Andy? 
[Applause.]
    2nd Junior Vice-Commander-Elect Andrew A. Kistler. 
Commander McMasters, Commander-Elect Reed and other line 
officers: This is indeed a great pleasure, and I take great 
honor in this, and thank you very much. And could the 
Pennsylvania delegation please stand up? Thank you. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. National 3rd Junior Vice-Commander 
Michael E. Dobmeier. [Applause.]
    3rd Junior Vice-Commander-Elect. I'd like to thank you, the 
members, for the confidence that you've placed in me. I'd like 
to thank the Nominating Committee for that same think. I'd like 
to thank my Election Committee, the Department of North Dakota, 
and the 14th District for their never-ending support. Would you 
stand, 14th District? [Applause.]
    I'd like to thank my family and my wife, Sandi, who's 
always stood at my side. [Applause.]
    You honored me by placing me in this line of distinguished 
officers, and again this morning you honored me by allowing me 
to continue. Rest assured that I don't take that for granted, 
and I'll work very hard to earn the trust that you've placed in 
me. Thank you. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. I'll call on National 4th Junior Vice-
Commander Richard Christopher. [Applause.]
    4th Junior Vice-Commander-Elect Richard Christopher. Thank 
you, Commander McMasters. Newly elected Commander Greg Reed, 
National Adjutant Wilson, line officers, members of the 
Disabled American Veterans: It is indeed an honor for me to 
stand here before you. You have given me this great 
opportunity. Not only did I serve Massachusetts for 24 years, 
but now I'm ready to serve you as a whole for the rest of my 
life.
    It is just a great feeling to be here. I look forward to 
working not only with the staff, but with newly elected 
Commander Greg Reed. My heart is with you. My heart is with the 
DAV. I will give it my all. Thank you so much for giving me 
this great opportunity to stand here before such a great body 
of disabled veterans. [Applause.]
    Could I please have District 1, who supported me all year, 
from Massachusetts and the entire state please stand for a bow. 
[Applause.] Thank you, gentlemen, for all your help.
    And Commander, I want to thank you personally for an 
outstanding job you've done and for what your friendship has 
meant to me in the past eight years. Thank you very much. 
[Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Newly elected National Judge Advocate 
Ed Galian, would you like to say something? [Applause.]
    Judge Advocate Galian. National Commander Tom McMasters, 
III; Greg Reed, national commander-elect; National Adjutant 
Arthur Wilson; all national officers; members of the Disabled 
American Veterans; ladies and gentlemen: Thank you very much 
for this great honor. I have been up here so many times, I'm 
almost speechless, because I've said all the words time and 
time again. I guess you've heard this before, but I feel a 
little bit like Elizabeth Taylor's ninth husband on his wedding 
night: I know what to do, but I don't know how to make it 
interesting. [Laughter.]
    My wife is here in the room. I saw her walk in. She's 
performed a little task. She's joined Maria Tedrow and Barbara 
Hicks in making a presentation in memory of Kit Seal Feighner 
this morning, and she just got in, and I want to congratulate 
her and the other girls who are with her for performing that 
task in behalf of SONCO, which is the Spouses of National 
Commanders Association that's very active at these national 
conventions.
    Janet, why don't you stand up and say hello. Everybody 
knows you anyway, I think. She's over here. [Applause.]
    I'd like to thank in particular all the members of the New 
York delegation, which also comprises the 2nd District. Why 
don't you all stand up and take a bow? These guys and gals, 
they do a great job for the organization. [Applause.]
    I won't say much more, because I want to hear Carl 
Bergstrom but thanks again, and I'm with you all all the time. 
Thanks very much. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. I call on our newly elected national 
chaplain, the Reverend Carl Bergstrom. [Applause.]
    Chaplain-Elect Carl Bergstrom. Commander McMasters, newly 
elected Commander Reed, National Judge Advocate, and to all 
national officers and all delegates and friends today: I want 
to thank you very much for your confidence in me, and I shall 
endeavor to do the best I can to fulfill the office of chaplain 
for the ensuing year.
    I walk in great footsteps. Chaplain Wilkie has done a 
tremendous job this last year, and I will endeavor to carry on 
those things that he has started and carry them further.
    We are not a religious organization. However, each of us 
bears the mark of a religion. And so we respect one another, 
and we work with one another as a team. And I shall endeavor to 
go forth as one of the team.
    There is a common denominator in our Judeo-Christian 
culture and religious belief. Among our Jewish brethren, the 
Shema Israel; for those of us, ``Hear O Israel, the Lord Our 
God is One God, and you shall love the Lord.'' And we have 
again added from a different point in Scripture, ``And you 
shall love your neighbor as yourself.'' I shall endeavor to the 
best of my ability to follow that law and keep it close to me. 
If I can do that, then I can do the rest of the job as the 
chaplain.
    I would like to ask District 1 to stand again. They're 
going to be the strongest people here, because they've stood up 
and sat down. That was the rowdy bunch over there that you 
heard earlier. So could I ask District 1 to stand? And I want 
to thank you for all the support you have given to me. 
[Applause.]
    Thank you all.
    Commander McMasters. We will continue with the unfinished 
business of the convention. At this time, I will entertain a 
motion to discharge the Credentials Committee. Mike1.
    Mr. Salvatore Lo Sauro. Sal Lo Sauro, the past department 
commander of New Jersey, representing Chapter 15, makes a 
motion to discharge the Credentials Committee.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you. Is there support? Is there 
a second? Mike 3.
    NEC McKeehan. Lowell McKeehan, Lavonia Chapter 114 from 
Michigan, seconds the motion.
    Commander McMasters. Okay. You've heard the motion and 
support to discharge the Credentials Committee. Are we ready 
for the question? Are we ready for the question? All in favor, 
signify by Aye; opposed. That's carried.
    I'd like to introduce some people from the Department of 
Indiana for a presentation.
    Member. Mike 1. Point of order. I believe we have to 
dismiss also the Nominating Committee.
    Commander McMasters. The Nominating Committee has been 
already dismissed.
    Member. I'm sorry. I was out of the room. Thank you.
    Commander McMasters. Thank you for trying to keep us in 
line here.
    Commander-Elect Reed. Ken Kersey? There he is.
    Mr. Kenneth C. Kersey. I want to congratulate Greg. We've 
worked pretty close in Indiana with Greg being the first 
Vietnam veteran elected state commander in Indiana, and I just 
followed along and learned everything I could do from him.
    At this time, I'd like to present Art Wilson, national 
adjutant, with a check from Indiana to boost our membership, 
get it started off the line. So here from Indiana is $40,000, 
Art, to get our membership on the line. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. I think that puts Indiana in first 
place today.
    At this time, I'd also like to request the members of 
Prescott, Arizona Chapter Number 16 for a presentation. 
[Applause.]
    Member. Commander McMasters, Commander-Elect Reed, National 
Adjutant Wilson: Among other things, I have the privilege of 
being the hospital services coordinator at the Prescott VA 
Medical center in the beautiful Grand Canyon State of Arizona.
    Until recently, the DAV Winter Sports Clinic was little 
more than a piece of paper that crossed my desk periodically. 
Then the chief of recreation services called me one day and 
said, ``Lee, I need help. I have a veteran that I want to send 
to the clinic, but I'm short on funding.'' Upon determining 
that this veteran was service-connected, our chapter provided 
the needed assistance.
    Naturally, when the veteran returned, I got feedback. I 
have to tell you that I was utterly amazed at the level of 
rehabilitation that had taken place in such a short period of 
time. I did some checking, and I discovered that this event 
appears to have been overlooked as chapters look for ways to 
support service. In our current environment of financial 
austerity, I've come to believe that supporting the DAV Winter 
Sports Clinic gives you the best bang for the buck that there 
is around. The positive advantages of participation are 
essentially without parallel.
    Therefore, DAV Prescott Chapter 16 has decided to adopt 
this activity as part of our service to disabled veterans, 
their widows, widowers, orphans and dependents. Mr. Commander, 
I am honored to present our chapter check in the amount of 
$2,500 in support of this most worthwhile endeavor. And I 
encourage other chapters to consider a similar action.
    Thank you and God bless. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you.
    I call on the national adjutant to read the list of the 
newly elected members of the National Executive Committee.
    Adjutant Wilson. NEC 2nd District, Sal Tornatore; 
alternate, William Novak. NEC 4th District, Grover Penn; 
alternate, Albert Church. NEC 6th District, Josue Saez; 
alternate, Tom Johns. NEC 8th District, Charles Mills; 
alternate, Hollis Bridges. NEC 10th District, Roger Jansen; 
alternate, George Zoscsak. NEC 12th District, James Harris; 
alternate, Desmond Fortner. NEC 14th District, Harry Vandemore; 
alternate, Larry Bouska. NEC 16th District, Robert Salisbury; 
alternate, George Steese. NEC 18th District, Michael Smaydy; 
and alternate, Donald Schmitt. NEC 20th District, William Bone; 
and alternate, Leonard Humes. [Applause.]
    Commander McMasters. Thank you.
    Adjutant Wilson. Those members have been elected to a two-
year term, 1996 to 1998.
    Commander McMasters. The Chair will now entertain a motion 
to adjourn the convention sine die.
    Mr. Alfred Faticoni. Faticoni from Connecticut makes a 
motion that we adjourn.
    Commander McMasters. Is there support?
    Mr. Russ Henderson. Russ Henderson, PDC Virginia, seconds 
the motion.
    Commander McMasters. All in favor, signify by saying Aye; 
opposed.
    Ladies and gentlemen, I'm going to call on Chaplain Wilkie 
for the prayer.
    Chaplain Wilkie. Commander, may I have just a moment of 
special privilege? Thank you. I'd simply like to say a word of 
thank you to all of you for the last few years of being your 
chaplain. It's been a labor of love. I have never in may entire 
life been a part of an organization nor around a group of 
people that I love more and wanted to serve more than I've 
wanted to serve you.
    I think you've got one whale of a list of officers. I think 
you've got a great person as your national chaplain. I just ask 
you to get behind him and let's do more than hearers of the 
word; let's be doers of it. Let's really get out and do the 
work of taking care of each other.
    Again, thank you for the high honor.
    Let us pray. Again, how good it is, Father, that we can 
assemble together in such fashion and know that you're with us. 
Whether we're on the streets homeless; whether we're standing 
before Congress, pleading with them to honor their contract 
with the veterans; whether we're at any place at any moment, 
yet the tie that binds us is always love of God, love of 
country, of family.
    How we thank you for the past. How we thank you for the 
long line of splendor that has been ours that has deposited us 
upon this place in history. Oh, we ask now, Father God, that 
whatever that future holds, we may be ready to meet it with 
confidence and with assurance. help us always to please to do 
what is right.
    Now go with us, be with these newly elected officers, be 
with each of us as we go into that future with joyous and 
radiant hearts ready to accept the challenge. Thank you, 
Father. Amen.
    Commander McMasters. Will the Color Guard please retire the 
Colors?
    [Retirement of Colors.]
    Commander McMasters. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me 
in thanking the Department of Massachusetts Honor Guard for 
retiring the Colors and for their work here at our convention. 
[Applause.]
    Ladies and gentlemen, the 75th National Convention of the 
Disabled American Veterans is now adjourned.
    [Whereupon, the meeting adjourned at 10:15 o'clock a.m., 
August 1, 1996.]
      
=======================================================================


                          P R O C E E D I N G

                                 of the

                  DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS AUXILIARY

                        74th National Convention

                      New Orleans Hilton Riverside

                         New Orleans, Louisiana

                         July 27-August 1, 1996

=======================================================================

      
                            C O N T E N T S

                               __________

        Opening Business Session, Monday Morning, July 29, 1996

                                                                   Page
Call to Order, Adjutant Maria Tedrow.............................   277
Welcome..........................................................   278
Introductions....................................................   280
Credentials Report...............................................   281
Adoption of National Convention Rules............................   281
Commander's Report...............................................   282
Membership Awards................................................   285
Finance Committee Report.........................................   288
Educational Loan Fund Report.....................................   289
Committee Assignments............................................   294
Recess...........................................................   299

        Second Business Session, Tuesday Morning, July 30, 1996

Call to Order, Commander Barbara L. Hicks........................   299
Credentials Report...............................................   300
First Reading of Constitution and Bylaws Amendments..............   300
Presentation of Awards:
    Americanism..................................................   302
    History......................................................   303
    Hospital.....................................................   304
Presentation from Chapel of Four Chaplains.......................   305
Continuation of Presentation of Awards:
    Junior Activities............................................   307
    Legislative..................................................   308
    Community Service............................................   309
    VAVS.........................................................   311
    Mae Holmes...................................................   312
Second Reading of Constitution and Bylaws Amendments.............   314
Announcements....................................................   316
Recess...........................................................   317

        Final Business Session, Thursday Morning, August 1, 1996

Call to Order, Commander Barbara L. Hicks........................   317
Final Credentials Report.........................................   318
Nominating Committee Report......................................   319
Nomination and Election of Officers..............................   320
Introductions and Recognitions...................................   327
Installation.....................................................   329
Announcements....................................................   330
Adjournment......................................................   331
                  DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS AUXILIARY

                        OPENING BUSINESS SESSION

                             July 29, 1996

    The Opening Business Session of the Disabled American 
Veterans Auxiliary 74th National Convention convened in the 
Napoleon Room of the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, New Orleans, 
Louisiana, Monday morning, July 29, 1996, and was called to 
order at 9:25 o'clock a.m. by Adjutant Maria M. Tedrow.
    Adjutant Maria M. Tedrow. Will the national sergeant-at-
arms please present National Commander Barbara Hicks to the 
platform?
    And now will the national sergeant-at-arms have the 
national officers escorted to the platform: National Chaplain 
Carol Gray; National Judge Advocate Shelia Allred; 4th Junior 
Vice Phyllis Novak; 3rd Junior Vice Paula Raymond; 2nd Junior 
Vice Evelyn Dorsey; 1st Junior Vice Evelynne Dunn; and Senior 
Vice-Commander Margaret Hass.
    And we have the Immediate Past National Commander Jane 
Troutman. Would you please bring Jane up to the platform?
    Now, will the national sergeant-at-arms have the past 
national commanders escorted to the chairs in the front of the 
room, please? Past National Commander Lucille McCarthy, 
Florida; Past National Commander Pauline Wright of Colorado; 
Past National Commander Nelda Wilson of Illinois; Past National 
Commander Dorothy Van Hoy of Missouri; Past National Commander 
Marjorie Vincent, now of Arizona; Past National Commander 
Florence Valgardson of Utah; Past National Commander Maurine 
Pederson of Missouri; Past National Commander Betty Hall of 
Texas; Past National Commander Sally Wilton of Arizona; Past 
National Commander Loneita Shoemaker of Arkansas; Past National 
Commander Katherine Pearson of Minnesota; Past National 
Commander Rose Schilpp of Missouri; Past National Commander 
Claudia Roy from Vermont; Past National Commander Barbara 
Maldet of Ohio.
    And would you now please escort the National Convention 
Chairman to the stage, Elaine Majors of Louisiana?
    And now will the sergeant-at-arms present the National 
Colors?
    [Presentation of Colors.]
    Adjutant Tedrow. And will the national sergeant-at-arms now 
present the Colors of the various state departments? The first 
colors are the State of Ohio in honor of our National Auxiliary 
Commander Barbara Hicks.
    [Presentation of Colors.]
    Adjutant Tedrow. Will the national sergeant-at-arms at this 
time post the National Colors?
    [Posting of Colors.]
    Adjutant Tedrow. We will now have the prayer by our 
national Chaplain, Carol Gray.
    Chaplain Carol Gray. Please join hands for a moment of 
silence as we remember those families who have suffered because 
of world tragedies, those who are defending the pursuit of 
peace, and all of our members who are sick and suffering.
    [Moment of silence.]
    Chaplain Gray. We thank You, Lord, for the privilege we 
have to gather here with our Auxiliary family. Be with 
Commander Barbara as she leads us through this convention. May 
all that we say and do here make us a stronger organization. 
Let each and every thing we do show how much we care. Amen.
    Adjutant Tedrow. The Pledge of Allegiance will be led by 
our National Americanism Chairman Paula Raymond.
    [Pledge of Allegiance.]
    Adjutant Tedrow. And now our national musician, Erna B. 
Smith, will play the National Anthem, and let's all join in.
    [Singing of National Anthem.]
    Adjutant Tedrow. And now will the national sergeant-at-arms 
dismiss the national and state color bearers.
    [Color bearers dismissed.]
    Adjutant Tedrow. How do you like our little junior members 
as pages? [Applause.]
    The Constitution and Bylaws of the Disabled American 
Veterans Auxiliary state that the supreme powers of this 
organization shall be vested in the Annual National Convention 
composed of the national officers and representatives of the 
state departments and units. In accordance with these 
directives, I, Maria M. Tedrow, National Auxiliary Adjutant, 
declare the 74th National Convention of the Disabled American 
Veterans Auxiliary be convened at New Orleans, Louisiana.
    Consideration and disposition of business brought before 
this convention shall be conducted in accordance with the 
National Constitution and Bylaws and the Ritual of the Disabled 
American Veterans Auxiliary as most recently amended.
    To all present, take due notice thereof and govern 
yourselves accordingly.
    And now, one of the highlights of my few days here as 
national adjutant at this convention is to introduce to you the 
lady that you elected last year to lead this organization, and 
she has done that. She has been very conscientious and 
dedicated to the organization. It has been a privilege to serve 
with her.
    I would like at this time to present to you my National 
Commander and your National Auxiliary Commander, Barbara Hicks. 
[Applause.]
    Commander Barbara L. Hicks. Thank you, ladies. It's been a 
great honor to represent you this year. It's indeed been an 
honor to represent you in my travels this year, and it's so 
nice to see so many here. The room is full. That is just so 
nice. And I do welcome each and every one of you here for this 
convention.
    The ladies have done an excellent job in their presentation 
this morning. It is absolutely beautiful to stand up here as 
the flags from the states come forward, to see the past 
national commanders come up, to see the pages. It's just a 
beautiful sight. That's why it was changed a few years ago so 
the commander can enjoy the presentation as it comes down the 
aisle.
    At this time, I would like to introduce to you our 
convention chairman, who has been working very hard this year, 
for some remarks. Elaine Majors. [Applause.]
    Mrs. Elaine Majors. Good morning. How you-all are? 
[Laughter.] I can't talk French. I'm from North Louisiana.
    Commander Barbara, line officers, Maria Tedrow, past 
national commanders, delegates and all these ladies assembled 
here at this convention in the great State of Louisiana in the 
City of New Orleans: We are glad to have you here, and we are 
proud that this was chosen as the state and the city, since 
this is the 50th anniversary of the Department of Louisiana 
Auxiliary. So we are proud of that. [Applause.]
    Commander Barbara, on behalf of our department commander, 
Elizabeth Ketchum, and all of the delegates and the ladies from 
Louisiana, we want to wish you a successful convention.
    And you ladies, we hope you have a good time, and we know 
that you are going to leave some money, because we need it bad.
    If we can assist you in any way, if it's at all possible, 
we will be glad to help you. We have this little mask on. Some 
of our Louisiana ladies didn't get one, and I'm in the dog 
house. But you can see their badges, and we will assist if at 
all possible.
    Now, I have a few presentations I'd like to make. Maria, 
you know the magnolia is the state flower of Louisiana, but in 
North Louisiana, at a little town north of Shreveport, we have 
a Dogwood Festival, and they grow wild in North Louisiana. So I 
would like for you to have this print of the dogwood flower. 
[Applause.]
    And now, how many of you ladies when you call National 
Headquarters, you ask Pat, ``Is Maria there?'' or, ``Can I 
speak to Maria?''? And if she says, ``I'm sorry. Maria's out. 
Would you like to talk to Judy?'' And I think probably most of 
us--``Well okay. We'll talk to Judy.'' [Laughter.]
    Judy is a lovely person and you couldn't ask anybody to do 
any more than she does. If she doesn't know where, what or 
when, ``I'll get back to you.'' And let me tell you, she does, 
she calls you back.
    So, Judy, I want to give you this. This is also made in 
North Louisiana, too. See, we're going to North Louisiana 
today. [Applause.]
    Now, Commander Barbara, I have a little story behind this. 
At our state convention in May, two of the guys, Paul Benoit 
and Eddie Figueron--if you come to the Mardi Gras tonight, 
you'll meet them--they had this plaque that they were going to 
present to Commander Tom McMasters. And I said, ``Hey, our 
Auxiliary commander needs one of those.'' So that was all, and 
Eddie said, ``Well, I think I have one.'' But I never did hear 
from him.
    So a few weeks back, I was talking to Paul, and I said, 
``Hey, Paul, I never did hear from Eddie about the plaque for 
our Auxiliary commander.'' He said, ``Okay. Let me get with 
Eddie, and I'll call you back.'' Next morning, Paul calls me 
back. He says, ``Eddie and I had a serious discussion last 
night.'' He says, ``We decided that you can pay to have the 
plate put on there with the name. We'll donate the plaque, but 
you're going to be indebted to us.'' [Laughter.]
    So, when you look at this plaque--there's no telling how 
many years it'll take me to get it paid for [laughter]----
    Commander Hicks. As long as that's you that's indebted 
instead of me.
    Mrs. Majors. So, Commander Barbara. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. I think that would be worth being indebted 
for. Thank you so much.
    Mrs. Majors. It has, ``Barbara L. Hicks, National Commander 
Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary, New Orleans, Louisiana, 
27 July, 1996.''
    Commander Hicks. Thank you. [Applause.]
    Mrs. Majors. Now I have one more. Jane Troutman, would you 
come up, please? You know, we're going to take care of all the 
business of this Auxiliary session and this convention, but 
we're going to have some free time, so Jane, when we get 
through with this convention, what are we supposed to do?
    Mrs. Jane Troutman. I'm from the South, too, so I can't 
say, ``Let the good times roll'' like Barbara Maldet did.
    Mrs. Majors. Maybe I should get Barbara to say that. I 
can't say it either.
    Member. Laissez les bon temp roullez.
    Mrs. Majors. Thank you, Gertie. See, Gertie had the 
assignment at our state convention in May. Jane was our 
representative. And I assigned Gertie to teach Jane how to say 
that by this convention. So I don't know what happened.
    Anyway, just so you're going to learn this and so that you 
will not forget it, here. There is a shirt. [Applause.]
    Thank you, ladies, and we hope you enjoy it, and then we'll 
get down to our serious business. Thank you. And it has been a 
pleasure to serve with these ladies as the convention chairman.
    Oh, wait a minute. Let me tell you, my ladies from 
Louisiana, I can't say enough. They have been fantastic in 
getting ready for this convention. I've had some chairmen and 
I've had the ladies volunteering, and everybody has been 
working. And so all I can say is, all my Louisiana ladies stand 
up. They have been fantastic. [Applause.]
    Thank you, and I love you all.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Elaine. We know that there's a 
lot of work that goes into these national conventions. And 
believe me, when we come, we appreciate every hour that you've 
all put into it.
    I would like to at this time introduce a very, very special 
group of ladies. They, through the years, have built our 
organization, and it's indeed an honor to introduce the past 
national commanders: Lucille McCarthy; Pauline Wright; Nelda 
Wilson; Dorothy Van Hoy; Marjorie Vincent; Florence Valgardson; 
Maurine Pederson; Maria Tedrow; Betty Hall; Sally Wilton; 
Loneita Shoemaker; Katherine Pearson; Rose Marie Schilpp; 
Shelia Allred; Claudia Roy; Barbara Maldet went back to the 
office; and Immediate Past National Commander Jane Troutman. 
[Applause.]
    Katherine, would you like to come to the podium, please?
    Mrs. Katherine Pearson. Thank you, National Commander 
Barbara. Thank you for giving the past national commanders a 
little time to tell you how much we care. We want to 
congratulate you on a wonderful year. Your leadership--no 
matter where you went, you found Barbara, even up in the 
snowcapped mountains in Colorado. That was an experience that 
she highly recommends.
    And we are very proud of her work, her accomplishments and 
each and every one of you that you cared enough to do the 
little things that she asked you to at the last convention. So 
we're very proud of that.
    And I'm going to tell you, Barbara, that soon you will be 
one of us. But it has to be voted on, and you've got a great 
group of women here that's going to pass that vote. And so 
we'll let you know. [Laughter.]
    I just wish that each and every one of you will care enough 
when you go into the committees to share a little thought, a 
little idea so that our programs can grow, service for the 
present time and lay the foundation for the future. Good luck 
to each and every one of you.
    Thank you, Barbara. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Katherine.
    Now may we have a preliminary report of the Credentials 
Committee, please.
    Member. Good morning. Madam Commander, this is the 
Credentials report for July 29th, 1996. The following units 
have not yet cleared for voting. A representative from that 
unit must report to the Auxiliary Headquarters Office in the 
Eglinton and Winton Room on the second floor. Arkansas 62; 
California 58; California 73; District of Columbia 1; Florida 
12; Florida 28; Florida 72; Florida 109; Louisiana 15; 
Massachusetts 29; Massachusetts 97; Michigan 2; Mississippi 54; 
Nevada 12; New York 118; Pennsylvania 14; Rhode Island 13; 
Texas 63; Texas 106; Texas 220; Vermont 17; West Virginia, 8; 
Puerto Rico 6; Hawaii 1..
    The total units registered, 331; total departments 
registered 35; the total, 366. Delegates registered, 631; 
alternates registered, 38; guests, 90; a total of 759. Total 
unit votes, 2,074; total department votes, 35; national 
officers, 8; past national commanders, 11. The grand total of 
votes, 2,128.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Dorothy. Do I have a motion to 
adopt this? Past National Commander Shelia Allred made a motion 
to adopt the report. Is there a second, please? And ladies, 
please go to the microphones. The recorder has to hear.
    Mrs. Joan F. Fletcher. Joan Fletcher, Unit 20, Glendale, 
Arizona. I second it.
    Commander Hicks. All in favor; opposed. So ordered.
    The first order of business is the adoption of the National 
Convention Rules. Printed copies of the Convention Rules have 
been furnished to all registered delegates. The Chair will now 
entertain a motion for adoption of these Rules.
    Mrs. Virgina Mitchell. Madam Commander, Virginia Mitchell, 
Unit 80, Alabama. I so move that we adopt the Convention Rules.
    Commander Hicks. Is there a second, please?
    Mrs. Barbara E. McVicker. Barbara McVicker, Unit 2, Kansas 
City, Missouri, I second the motion.
    Commander Hicks. All in favor; opposed. So ordered.
    Margaret, would you please take over the chair for the 
purpose of my giving my report, please?
    [Whereupon, Senior Vice-Commander Margaret E. Hass assumed 
the chair.]
    Senior Vice-Commander Margaret E. Hass. Thank you, 
Commander, Barbara. I welcome this opportunity to express for 
all Auxiliary members our sincere thanks for your sincere 
dedication to our veterans and to our Auxiliary. You have had a 
fine year, and we look forward to hearing your report.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Margaret.
    National Officers, national chairmen, National Executive 
Committee, past national commanders, national staff, members 
and guests: Through the years, I have heard national commanders 
talk of their year. I thought I was ready for my year. How 
wrong I was! There is no way anyone can know the feeling of 
pride, honor and yes, responsibility until you walk in the 
commander's shoes. Every time I represented our organization, I 
did so to the best of my ability, with dignity and humility.
    Last year I said how wonderful it would be if we could 
reach 200,000 members. Our national membership goal for the 
1995-96 membership year was 187,002 members. As of June 30th, 
we had 192,832 members. That's a plus of 5,824 members. 
[Applause.]
    Six states made their national membership goal, and two 
asked me to put their membership ribbon on the state banner. I 
was honored to perform this request at their state conventions.
    Every state department is to be commended for their super 
efforts toward building our membership strength this year. No 
words can express the fantastic efforts on the part of our 
recruiters and congratulations to all of our Recruiting 
Incentive Program winners.
    I also want to personally thank the National Auxiliary 
staff for their fantastic efforts on all of our mailings and 
their promptness in computerizing all new memberships.
    To Evelynne Dunn, our National Membership chairperson, 
thank you, thank you, thank you for an outstanding job. We did 
it, ladies. [Applause.]
    Now I would like to take you on a journey through my year 
as your national commander. And you really, really were with me 
every journey I made. You were with me when I journeyed to 
Hawaii with National Adjutant Maria. We represented the 
Auxiliary at the 50th anniversary remembrances of the Japanese 
surrender that formally ended World War II. You were with me as 
I placed a wreath at the National Memorial Cemetery of the 
Pacific.
    When National Commander McMasters and I placed the flowers 
from our leis in the water at the USS Arizona, I placed the 
string from my lei in my billfold. It has been in my billfold, 
and, ladies, it has traveled many thousands of miles. When I 
leave this convention, it will go to my history chairman to put 
in my history book. I always carry it as a reminder of my year 
as your commander and to remember a generation that sacrificed 
so much for our freedom.
    As I attended state department conferences and visit 
nationwide from Minnesota to New Mexico, from Florida to 
California, and most points in between, pride in the Auxiliary 
was apparent everywhere. From the statewide weekend that the 
DAV and Auxiliary members visited every VA medical center in 
Massachusetts, to a whirlwind tour of Auxiliary services in 
Utah, service disabled veterans and their families was the 
hallmark of our Auxiliary activities.
    Amid the serious business conducted during these visits and 
conferences, there was a lot of fun and memories, too. Memories 
like being recognized as a special guest during a performance 
in Utah by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, to being guest of honor 
at an American Essay Contest recognition dinner in Missouri, 
love and dedication highlighted every state's events.
    No commander's year would be complete with our Auxiliary 
Fall Conference. Members attending the conference in Dayton 
last year had the opportunity to learn from the experience of 
others and share their experience. I was so pleased to see 
experienced Auxiliary leaders training the next generation of 
Auxiliary leaders. It was a fun and rewarding experience.
    I encourage all of you to attend this year's exciting 
three-day event in Louisville, Kentucky. The 1996 Fall 
Conference will be held at the beautiful Galt House East in 
Louisville, September 26th through 28th. Yes, be sure to bring 
your husbands, too. They had a good time and learned a lot 
about our Auxiliary last year.
    In October, while visiting the Auxiliary in New Mexico, I 
had the moving experience of visiting the DAV Vietnam Veterans 
National Memorial at Angel Fire for the first time. Though it 
was already snowing there, one cannot help but be warmed by the 
beauty of this soaring monument to the men and women who died 
or were disabled while serving our nation in that far-off 
country.
    At the National VAVS Service Meeting in Chicago, seminars 
and workshop were tremendously informative. The experience of 
attending this meeting with so many other service organizations 
dedicated to helping veterans and their families was exciting. 
You quickly learned that a lot of good people and a lot of 
organizations are working toward the same goal. Of course, no 
one does it better than our Auxiliary. [Applause.]
    Veterans Day in Alabama demonstrated the patriotism that 
runs so deep in our culture. Everyone from school children to 
factory workers turned out to honor our nation's veterans.
    As Auxiliary members, we stand beside the DAV in the battle 
to build better lives for disabled veterans and our families. 
Our Auxiliary is there in spirit and force, representing 
disabled veterans, their families, widows and orphans before 
all branches of our government.
    At the 1996 Midwinter Conference in Washington, D.C., I 
joined Commander Tom and other members of the DAV national 
staff at the DAV's presentation before the Joint Session of the 
Committees on Veterans' Affairs. Not only is this an honor; 
it's an example of the partnership the Auxiliary shares with 
the DAV in all endeavors.
    I was also pleased to be asked to address the Commanders 
and Adjutants Association by Association President Tom 
Campbell. It was an opportunity to build an even greater 
understanding of our joint mission, service to disabled 
veterans and their families. Every opportunity to work with the 
DAV builds our common bonds.
    March was a fun month. I attended Commander Tom's 
testimonial dinner in Michigan and had a great time. Later that 
month, he attended my testimonial dinner in Ohio. His gracious 
remarks demonstrated his love and appreciation of our 
Auxiliary.
    I want to thank all of you for my testimonial dinner. It 
was a joyful and tearful occasion. Listening as my children, 
Jacki and Jeff, said so many wonderful things about me made me 
glow with pride. I'm so proud of them.
    Our youth are so important. They are our future. As I 
watched our Auxiliary National Junior Miss lead the Pledge of 
Allegiance, I realized even more the importance of working with 
our future generation of Auxiliary leaders. The Juniors are an 
important part of many Auxiliary functions.
    I am so proud to say my granddaughters, Nicole, Tiffany and 
Megan, are members of our Junior Auxiliary. As such, they are 
learning the functions and purpose of our Auxiliary. One day, 
they will lead our organization, and I am confident they will 
be prepared for the task, just as our lovely Juniors have 
demonstrated this morning.
    I call on every unit to involve your junior members. They 
are the future, and we must prepare them for this.
    On the snow-covered slopes of Crested Butte, Colorado, I 
witnesses miracles. At the 10th National Disabled Veterans 
Winter Sports Clinic, I watched men and women struggle down 
those slopes with joy on their faces. This is difficult, 
because this was very, very moving to me.
    I realized that as a result of their sacrifices, DAV and 
Auxiliary volunteers help to make this miraculous event 
possible every year. Every event at the clinic, from wheelchair 
basketball to scuba diving, is an adventure. If you can 
possibly do it, I implore you to be a part of this adventure in 
the years to come.
    There's so much I wanted to add to this, but I knew I 
couldn't read it.
    Later in the year, I helped a hard-working Finance 
Committee spend countless hours setting up our next year 
Auxiliary budget. We often take our committees for granted, but 
I can tell you: Things go right in our organization because of 
committees' hard work.
    A week after the Finance Committee finished, the 
Educational Loan Fund Committee met. I am happy to report that 
38 loans were granted. Imagine! We were able to help 38 people 
further their education through this program. But without your 
help, this would not have been possible.
    Memorial Day with Grafton, West Virginia, Unit 24, was 
simply unbelievable. In a town of just under 2,000 people, they 
hosted an event that saw more than twice the population in 
attendance. During the two-day event, ceremonies were conducted 
at West Virginia National Cemetery and Grafton National 
Cemetery. The two national cemeteries are located nearly 20 
miles apart, but the local veterans organizations do a 
fantastic job making the memorial ceremonies so successful.
    They also host a huge parade, and I mean huge, even by the 
large cities' standard. People come from everywhere to see the 
parade. It is not an event that Unit and Chapter 24 could do on 
their own, but cooperating with other service organizations, 
the West Virginia Department of Veterans Affairs and the City 
of Grafton, they do a fantastic job. It's a classic example of 
joining forces and working together.
    I was so impressed with their Memorial Day event that I 
assure you, I will go back again.
    After attending department conventions in Oregon and 
Montana prior to the Memorial Day, I didn't think things could 
get much busier for me, but they did. In May and June, I was 
home for one weekend. The rest were spent at fantastic 
department conventions in Oklahoma, New Jersey, Wisconsin, New 
York and Puerto Rico. Warm welcomes, great fun and serious 
business went hand in hand at every convention. Thank you ail 
for making me a part of your events, ladies.
    It has been a wonderful and very busy year. For our next 
national commander's information, my busy year included 
traveling 61,702 miles, visiting 25 states, Puerto Rico and 
Washington, D.C., enjoying every minute of it.
    My last event before arriving for our National Convention 
was the DAV van drive-away at National Headquarters on July 
11th. It was impressive, to say the least, 141 new Ford vans 
leaving for VA medical centers in 35 states and Puerto Rico, 
with one mission, to transport sick and disabled veterans to 
and from VA medical centers for needed medical care.
    The drive-away was made possible through the combined 
efforts of the national organization, the departments, chapters 
and units working together to raise the necessary funds to 
purchase the much-needed vans.
    Yes, it has been a wonderful and busy year, but I wouldn't 
trade it for anything. I want to thank each and every one of 
you for all you have done to make my year so fantastic. Love 
and prayers, and always remember, little things we do show we 
care. [Applause.]
    Senior Vice-Commander Hass. Commander Barbara, that was 
indeed a fine report.
    Do I hear a motion to accept Commander Barbara's report?
    Mrs. Dorothy Van Hoy. Past Commander Dorothy Van Hoy. Move 
that we accept the report.
    Senior Vice-Commander Hass. Motion has been made. Is there 
a second?
    Mrs. Sandra Schulman. Sandi Schulman, Department of New 
Jersey, seconds that motion.
    Senior Vice-Commander Hass. Motion has been made and 
seconded. All those in favor, say Aye; same sign, opposed. The 
motion carried.
    Thank you, Barbara. [Applause.]
    [Whereupon, Commander Hicks resumed the chair.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Margaret.
    I believe it's time for membership awards. I would like to 
tell everyone that monetary awards are given each year in the 
categories instead of plaques to the first-place winner, and 
that the checks will be mailed out from National Headquarters 
after the convention. The checks will be in the mail. 
[Laughter.]
    At this time, we will now have the membership awards by our 
National Membership chairman, Evelynne Dunn. [Applause.]
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Evelynne Dunn. Good morning, 
everyone. Madam Commander, national officers, past national 
commanders, members and guests of the Disabled American 
Veterans Auxiliary: I would like you to know what a privilege 
it was to serve as Membership chairman this year. It's been a 
wonderful year, especially reaching national quota. And I want 
to thank National Headquarters for all the dedicated work that 
they performed in getting all those letters out, 600,000 
letters plus to potential members.
    It was an exciting time for us, to realize that national 
quota had been reached, and I hope you share my enthusiasm for 
all the work that was done, not only by National Headquarters, 
but by all the ladies out there. Because I know you were out 
there pushing membership. I know that for a fact.
    I'll give you the numbers in a few moments. What I want to 
do is present the awards. If you'll bear with me, I'll have it. 
From Group 1, 10 to 50, there was a tie: D. A. Nocera, 65 
Arizona, 33 members increase. Is there a representative from 
that unit, D.A.--Arizona, D. A. Nocera, N-o-c-e-r-a Number 65, 
Arizona? Can I have someone from Arizona pick this award up for 
them?
    We are going to straighten this out and move to the next 
one.
    Adjutant Tedrow. We'll check this out. First mistake today. 
If you believe that, you'll believe everything.
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Dunn. The next award is Group 2, 
51 to a hundred, Hanover Township 177, New York, 15 member 
increase. [Applause.]
    Mrs. Jeanne Le Porte. I'm the commander for the State of 
New York. I'll accept this for the ladies in Hanover 177. 
They're a very hard-working group of ladies. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Dunn. Group 3, 101 to 200, 
Lieutenant Alfred Lucia 118, New York, 55 member increase. 
[Applause.]
    Congratulations again.
    Mrs. Le Porte. Thank you. This is one of our newest units 
in Brooklyn, and the gentleman who is the award winner for the 
nation for membership is the one that helped start this unit 
for us, and we're very pleased that they have been so 
cooperative in helping us get this unit going. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Dunn. Group 4, 201 and over, 
Walter Rohr Memorial Number 35, New York, 148 member increase. 
[Applause.] A hundred and forty-eight members, ladies, that's a 
great total.
    Member. Thank you so much. And I'd like to give a special 
thanks to our state commander, Jeanne Le Porte, who made it all 
possible. Thank you. [Applause.]
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Dunn. Now we'll go to Group 
Number 5, the new unit with the most new members. Metro Number 
7 with 35 members. Anyone here from Alaska? Well, that will be 
mailed to them.
    Group Number 6, department with the largest percentage 
increase. Also, the State of Alaska. [Applause.] So those 
awards will be mailed to them.
    Group Number 7, department with the largest numerical 
increase. The State Department of New York. [Applause.]
    Here comes that lady again, New York. Congratulations.
    Mrs. Le Porte. Thank you again. And ladies, I want you to 
know, it's done by mailing, by getting membership from the 
National Headquarters. So it's out there for all of you to do 
if you want to. [Applause.]
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Dunn. We're going to go back to 
the first one. We had a kind of a little mix-up here. Group 1, 
10 to 50, D. A. Nocera 65, Ohio. [Applause.] I know there's 
somebody here from Ohio. Would you accept this for these 
ladies? [Applause.] This was a 33 member increase.
    Member. I do want to say something about this unit. When I 
was state commander for Ohio, I went to visit this unit, and 
they were meeting in someone else's house, and when I first 
went, they had five members. And they promised me they would 
work on membership, and they did. And I will be glad to give 
this to them, because one of their husbands is here for the 
meeting, and I'll be glad to turn this over so they can take it 
home. Because this is a very special unit of hard-working 
ladies that are trying to start, and they're very dedicated, 
and this will make them very, very proud. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Dunn. Now we have the special 
membership award. Number 1. These ladies signed up the most 
members. Fifty-eight new senior members, Marcia Mills, Ohio 
Number 43. [Applause.] Is she here?
    Commander Hicks. Ladies, in the past few years, Marcia has 
been the one that has won this National Membership Award for 
signing up the most members. See, she really does exist. 
[Applause.]
    Mrs. Marcia Mills. I just want to thank everyone for making 
this award possible, and if all of us in this room today stand 
hand in hand, this Auxiliary will flourish and grow, and the 
veterans will be better off with our help. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Dunn. And this second special 
membership award, 27 new senior members, Janet Walters in 
Indiana Number 19. [Applause.]
    Mrs. Janet Walters. I'm very proud to take this back to 
Unit Number 19, Elkhart, Indiana. Thank you.
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Dunn. Ladies, when it comes to 
membership, the progress and growth of our organization are the 
results of each person taking responsibility for their share of 
the tasks necessary for the Auxiliary to go forward. Many 
thanks to Montana, New York, Ohio, Utah, Wyoming, Alaska and 
New Hampshire for reaching quota during this banner year.
    So ladies, let me ask you a question. Don't you think that 
we need to celebrate reaching national quota? [Applause.] 
Louder, ladies, louder. So, let's celebrate!
    [Video presentation.]
    1st Junior Vice-Commander Dunn. Thank you very much, Madam 
Commander. Thank you, ladies. That was a great celebration. 
[Applause.] And that completes my report.
    Commander Hicks. Isn't that great that we had this to 
celebrate? I'd like to thank each and every one of you who 
signed up one member, who's done something maybe to transfer a 
member over from annual to life. Whatever you have done to work 
on membership, I certainly do congratulate you. This is 
something that not one individual can do alone. It takes each 
and every one of us to work on membership, and we must keep 
these numbers up.
    We have to have the number count in Washington to fight for 
our benefits, and it's up to each and every one of us to see 
that they are protected. Thank, you ladies. [Applause.]
    Would Jan Bennett, chairman of the Finance Committee, 
please come forward for the Finance Committee report and the 
adoption of budget. I think you each received one.
    Adjutant Tedrow. They are out there to be passed out. 
Anybody that does not have a copy of the budget, please put 
your hands up. Would the sergeant-at-arms see some more budgets 
are passed out, please?
    Commander Hicks. Ladies, I want to tell you how hard this 
staff works on membership while they're passing these out. I 
was down at the office one day. I live about 125 miles from 
National Headquarters, so I pop in regardless of what my title 
might be. I pop in every once in a while. I walked in one day, 
and there's like three of their big desks, they've got long 
trays about this long, and they're stacked about this high on 
all the tables. Each tray holds approximately a thousand 
letters.
    These girls, ladies, in this office, have to open those, go 
through, read your notes, take the checks out, if there are. If 
there's a problem, they have to see that that is taken care of. 
Plus separating, because we were having our renewal notices at 
the same time that this mass membership mailing went out.
    And I want you to know if for ever one second you hesitate 
or doubt the capability of that office, don't. They work many 
hours. Some of this is done after the hours that they are open. 
They take time to go through and put these in the tray and see 
that they are taken care of. It is a fantastic office that we 
have. [Applause.] Very, very efficiently run, and each and 
every person that works there is qualified for not only the job 
they do, but they can do all of the jobs.
    Are we still passing out or are we ready for Jan to read 
this?
    NEC 18th District Janet W. Bennett. Good morning, ladies. 
National Commander Barbara, national officers, past national 
officers, delegates and guests of the Disabled American 
Veterans Auxiliary: The National Finance Committee met on 
Saturday, April the 28th, 1996 at the Drawbridge Inn in Fort 
Mitchell, Kentucky. In attendance at this meeting was National 
Commander Barbara Hicks; Betty Nelson, NEC from District 2; 
Vicky Grier, NEC from District 9; E. Jimi Hayes, NEC from 
District 5; and myself, Janet Bennett, NEC from District 18.
    Also present without a vote were Senior Vice-Commander 
Margaret Hass; National Adjutant Maria Tedrow, who served as a 
very capable recording secretary; Assistant National Adjutant 
Hezlep; and Head Bookkeeper Sandi Smith.
    The purpose of this meeting was to set the National 
Auxiliary budget for the year 1996 and 1997, based on 
anticipated income from the memberships. After reviewing the 
1995 and the 1996 income, expenses, assets, liabilities, the 
committee proceeded to prepare the proposed budget. A copy of 
this budget was either given at the door or recently given to 
your as your entered this morning.
    At this time, I offer a motion to accept the budget for the 
year 1997.
    NEC 9th District Vicky L. Grier. Madam Commander, Vicky 
Grier, Georgia Unit 10. I second the motion.
    Commander Hickes. The motion has been made and seconded to 
accept our budget. All in favor; opposed. Motion carried.
    Pardon? Oh, I'm sorry. Was there any discussion, now that 
you've accepted it? [Laughter.] Thank you.
    NEC 18th District Bennett. Thank you. National Commander 
Barbara, I would like to thank you and the Finance Committee 
for electing me as your chairman, The past two years have been 
a great honor and a wonderful experience. Thank you, Barbara.
    National Adjutant, Maria, thank you for all your expert 
guidance and gracious hospitality, which enabled us to carry 
out our duties without undue delay. Thank you, Maria.
    Finally, I would like to acknowledge and commend the ladies 
of the Finance Committee for doing a great job. I would like 
you to stand as I call your name, please: Betty Nelson, NEC, 
District 2 [Applause]; Vicky Grier, NEC, District 9 [Applause]; 
E. Jimi Hayes, NEC, District 5. [Applause.]
    Ladies, I thank you for all your support, your cooperation 
and your wonderful friendship. It's been a great year. Thank 
you very much. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Jan. And thanks to everyone who 
served on the committee.
    Phyllis Greaney, director of the Educational Loan Fund, 
would you come up to give your report now, please? Good 
morning, Phyllis.
    Mrs. Phyllis Greaney. Good morning. Thank you, Barbara. 
This will be very brief, because I understand--okay. Maria has 
told me that the report has already been sent to all the 
states. So I'm just going to be very brief and tell you some of 
the highlights.
    The Education Loan Fund Committee met on Sunday, May 5th, 
1996. The committee members this past year were National 
Commander Barbara Hicks, Immediate Past National commander Jane 
Troutman, Senior Vice-Commander Margaret Hass and myself. 
National Adjutant Maria Tedrow, Assistant National Adjutant 
Judy Hezlep and Past National Commander Barbara Maldet attended 
our meeting and were very helpful.
    We granted, as Barbara told you, 37 student loans for the 
academic year 1996-97. As you know, a student must be a full-
time student attending schools of higher learning, college, 
universities or vocational schools. Their grades mut be no 
lower than a 2.0 average, which is equivalent to a B minus.
    We are aware that in these time, it is very difficult for 
parents and students to afford college education, and what we 
give to it helps them very much. They have to go to many other 
sources to complete the amount that is necessary for a college 
education.
    We depend on mandates, contributions form state 
departments, chapters, units of the DAV and the DAVA, 
individual and memorial contributions in order to continue to 
help our students. And this is where I need all of you.
    The National Educational Fund is a very important program 
of the Auxiliary. We are assisting families of disabled 
veterans through our membership in the DAVA and its programs.
    I would like to emphasize the important dates to remember 
for those who may be interested or knows someone who is 
eligible and interested in receiving a loan. These dates are 
March 1st and April 25th. The application for a loan must be 
requested no later than March 1st for the next academic year, 
and a completed application must be received and postmarked no 
later than April 25th. All correspondence should be sent to me 
or to the Educational Loan director, whomever that may be, at 
the National Headquarters of the Disabled American Veterans 
Auxiliary.
    I understand from talking to some of you, that the units 
don't always tell the chapters about our programs, and I do 
think it's very important that they know all about each of our 
programs. and I hope when you leave this convention, that you 
will share some of the knowledge that your receive here about 
all of our programs, so that they can be up to date and know 
exactly what we're going to do for their families.
    Again, I say thank you for your kind consideration, and I'm 
going to turn the program back over to Barbara. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Phyllis, for your report and 
the many hours that you do put into this.
    Donations for the programs, the Ed Loan, Service Support 
Fund, whatever, we will have at this time, please. Hoping that 
there are some.
    Member. From the Department of Michigan, I'm glad to donate 
this check to our chairman.
    Commander Hicks. Ladies, I'm going to please ask for you to 
be quiet during this, because everyone takes time to have their 
state bring something, the units or whatever, and they do need 
the recognition. They need your cooperation so that they can be 
heard as they make their presentation, please.
    Mrs. Betty Boyd. I'd like to donate this in memory of my 
husband, Scoop Boyd.
    Mrs. Hannelore Ciccarelli. I'm Hannelore Ciccarelli, 
Department of Kentucky. Barbara, I would like to present to you 
this check in the amount of $250 from the Department of 
Kentucky, and I hope that maybe next year we can do better. We 
want you to know that we support our youth.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you.
    Mrs. Karen E. Espinosa. I am Karen Espinosa, commander of 
DAV Auxiliary Department of Arizona, and I am pleased to 
present a check for the Freedom's Foundation and also for the 
Education Loan Fund for the Department of Arizona.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you.
    Mrs. Virginia Mitchell. I'm Virginia Mitchell from Alabama. 
A few years ago, my husband and I started a small savings for 
just this kind of thing. He's gone now, but at this time I 
would like to present a check to the Educational Loan Fund as 
part of the money that we dispense every year.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you very much.
    Mrs. Le Porte. I'm Jeanne Le Porte from the Department of 
New York. We have checks for $510 for the National Loan Fund 
and $510 for the National Service Foundation. Thank you.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, New York.
    Mrs. Nelda P. Blaylock. I'm Nelda Blaylock from Arkansas. 
I'm the department state commander, and I'd like to present a 
check to the Educational Loan and also to the Service Support 
Program.
    Commander Hickes. Thank your, members of Arkansas.
    Mrs. Patricia a. McCool. I'm Patricia McCool from Unit 56 
in Arkansas, and I have a check for Freedom's Foundation and 
the Education Loan Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, members of Unit 56.
    Mrs. Oliver Manning. Olive Manning, department commander, 
State of Vermont, a check for the Education Loan Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Vermont.
    Mrs. Mary J. Bessette. Mary Bessette from DAV Auxiliary 
Unit 17, South Burlington, Vermont, a hundred dollars for the 
Service Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Unit 17, Vermont.
    Mrs. Andee Silver. I am Andee Silver, Department of 
Pennsylvania commander. We'd like to donate money to the 
National Education and the Service Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Pennsylvania.
    Mrs. Virginia Reinagel. I'm Virginia Reinagel. I represent 
Shelby County Number 70, Memphis, Tennessee. I have one check 
for $200 for the Educational Loan Fund; one for $300 for the 
Service Foundation; and $100 for the Freedom Foundation.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Tennessee Unit 70.
    Mrs. Isabel Kirsct. I'm Isabel Kirsct from Dallas, Big D 
57, and we have a check for the National Service Fund and the 
National Scholarship Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Big D 57.
    Mrs. Marilyn Hess. Marilyn Hess, senior junior vice, 
Department of Iowa Auxiliary. I have some money here for the 
Hospitalized Veterans Writing Project, the Freedom Foundation, 
the Educational Loan Fund and the Service Project.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Iowa.
    Mrs. Virginia Howard. Virginia Howard, DAVA 32, Dallas, 
Texas. A check for the Freedom Foundation and for the National 
Education Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Dallas Unit 32.
    Mrs. Carolyn S. Reed. Carolyn Reed, Department of Ohio 
commander. Two checks, one for the Educational Loan Fund and 
the Freedom Foundation.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Department of Ohio.
    Mrs. June Becker. June Becker, Unit 49, Department of New 
Jersey. A hundred dollars for the Loan Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Unit 49, New Jersey.
    Mrs. Betty Bergquist. I'm Betty Bergquist, Auxiliary 
commander for the Department of Kansas, and I have a check here 
for the National Service Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Kansas.
    Mrs. Mae H. Johnson. Mae H. Johnson, senior vice-commander. 
I'm donating a check for the Auxiliary. Thank you.
    Commander Hicks. Freedom Foundation. Thank you, Department 
of Kansas.
    Mrs. Carolyn Johnson. Carolyn Johnson, commander, 
Department of Tennessee. I have a check for $400 for the 
Education Loan Fund and a hundred dollars for the service Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Department of Tennessee.
    Mrs. Dorothy Kashner. Dot Kashner from the State of 
Delaware, from the Department of Delaware, and we have for the 
Education Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Department of Delaware.
    Mrs. Estella Watts. Estella Watts from the Department of 
Georgia, and we have a hundred dollars from the department, and 
we have $25 left over from our Central Area meeting, so we 
added that, too, to the Educational Loan. And we also have $125 
for the Service Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Department of Georgia.
    Mrs. Edith C. Hinds. Edith Hinds from George H. Seal 
Memorial Unit 23 in the State of Maryland.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Maryland, Unit 23.
    Mrs. Roberta Bullen. Roberta Bullen, commander of the State 
Department of Maryland. I have three checks: Educational Loan 
Fund, Freedom Foundation and the Auxiliary Service Support 
Program.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Department of Maryland.
    Ms. Lillian Van Galen. Lillian Van Galen from the 
Department of Massachusetts Auxiliary commander. I have two 
checks, one for $300 from the Department of Massachusetts, and 
one from our senior vice. I also have three other checks for 
the National Service Fund: $225 from the Department of 
Massachusetts and $100 from our senior vice-commander; and we 
have another one for $5.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, everyone in Massachusetts.
    Mrs. Wanda Furbish. Wanda Furbish, department state 
commander of New Hampshire. I'd like to present you this check 
for the National Education Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, members of New Hampshire.
    Mrs. Sharon A. Kramer. Sharon Kramer, department of 
adjutant. I'd like to donate this on behalf of the Department 
of Minnesota.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Department of Minnesota.
    Mrs. Miriam A. Daley. I'm Miriam Daley from Somerville 27 
in Massachusetts, and I bring a donation from Donna Tanner of 
Unit 115; Fran Costa for the National Service Fund and Loan 
Fund from 56; and from Margaret Karinsky in memory of her 
sister, Past National Commander Florence Daley.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you again to the department members 
from Massachusetts.
    Mrs. Kim James. I'm Kim James, department of commander of 
the State of Indiana, and I have a check for the Education Loan 
Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, members from Indiana.
    Mrs. Ruth Spell. I'm Ruth Spell from Chapter 5. I have 
three checks: one for National Service Program, Freedom 
Foundation and the Loan Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, members of Unit 5, Mississippi.
    Mrs. Pat Vigil. We are from Murphy Borelli Number 7, 
Denver, Colorado. I am Pat Vigil and Rosemary Dye. We have a 
check for $200 for the Education Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Colorado Unit 7.
    Mrs. Nancy E. Chaplin: I'm Nancy Chapin. I'm the senior 
vice-commander for the State of Idaho, and I'd like to present 
a check to the Foundation Fund and the Support Program.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, members from Idaho.
    Mrs. Carolyn Fudge. I'm Carolyn Fudge. I'm from Quad City 
Unit Number 53 in Granite City, Illinois. We have a check for 
the Freedom Foundation.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, members of Unit 53, Illinois.
    Mrs. Carrie Hickman. Carrie Hickman from the State 
Department of Florida. I have a check here for the National 
Auxiliary Service Fund for a thousand dollars.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, members from Florida.
    Mrs. Renee Jones. Renee Jones, state commander of North 
Carolina, and on behalf of the delegates who are here, we wish 
to make this donation to the Ed. Loan Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, delegates from North Carolina.
    Mrs. Donna Horton. Donna Horton, national sergeant-at-arms, 
and this is from the delegates at the national convention. 
Thank you all. The Educational Loan Fund.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, each and every one. There will 
be many, many people helped in all of the donations that have 
been received here this morning, regardless of to whom they 
were given.
    Mrs. Greaney. I'd like to extend my thanks, too, to all of 
you. It is a very worthy cause. Thank you, (Applause)
    Commander Hicks. Thank you again, Phyllis, for your many 
hours of work.
    Maria has some things she would like to say. And these will 
be totaled, ladies, and later during the convention, you will 
know what the totals of the donations were.
    Adjutant Tedrow. At this time, I would like to just speak a 
little bit about the Service Support Program. Now, we aren't 
going to pass anything out. But I want you to know it's 
important that I keep you informed because statistics are one 
thing, and correspondence is another and we made it very plain 
that when this fund started that you would never ever know the 
recipient's name, but you would always know who gave the 
donation, and we have continued to be true to that.
    However, you're familiar with the address labels that were 
sent out to the various members all through the country, and in 
a lot of those letters we not only got donations, but stories 
of financial need and everything. And, of course, when they 
came in, they were put on my desk, and I sat down and wrote 
special letters to these people, because, you know, I didn't 
know how much their need was, or if they were just telling me 
politely, ``Here it is, but don't send me any more.'' I felt 
that this was necessary, and we've gotten an awful lot of 
response back. Your money has been working.
    What amazes me is that a large portion of these expenses 
are going for burials.
    I brought just a little bit of correspondence to you, and 
they're addressing me in the letter, but I want you to know 
they're only addressing me in the letter because I wrote the 
letter, but I wrote the letter on behalf of everybody who has 
given to this Service Program.
    It's a great program. Of course, right now, you know, it's 
limited as to who can benefit from it. I'm hoping that it grows 
and grows so that we can make any woman eligible if she needs 
it, whether there's a veteran in the household or not. 
[Applause.]
    But if you will just bear with me just a couple of minutes. 
This was one such letter that I sent because we had gotten the 
address labels and she'd written such a nice letter, and said:

          Dear Miss Tedrow: Thank you for your letter which brought 
        tears to my eyes, for you showed what a wonderful person you 
        are in caring about someone who you have never met, and also 
        for enclosing the forms and telling me how I was to fill it out 
        if there was a need. My husband's lengthy illness and the fact 
        that he made me face reality has endured me these last ten 
        years, five of which I spent crying and unable to cope.
          However, I am now self-reliant and independent and face each 
        day with new hope and confidence. In those ten years, I can 
        recall only one time in which I ate peanut butter sandwiches 
        and tea for one month every day so that I could pay my bills on 
        time. I live and maintain a very strict budget, and unless an 
        unforeseen emergency occurs, my months are routine. My home, 
        which I maintain, hanging from an attic window with one hand 
        and a paintbrush in the other, shows that with determination I, 
        too, can do what every other widow has had to endure. I have 
        had several part-time jobs. ``Part-time?'' ``Part-time? you 
        ask. Yes, mainly so that I can come home and shovel snow and 
        mow the lawn and maintain the appearance so that I can be proud 
        of it.
          At this time of year, my mail consists of appeals which I 
        cannot contribute to, but the DAV always receives something, no 
        matter how small, because I do get a small widow's allotment, 
        which I'm extremely grateful for.
          However, at this time, I am not sending back the forms since 
        I have not asked for any assistance of any kind, and I'm trying 
        to prove that I can make it on my own, and I'm doing fine.
          However, believe it or not, I can sleep better at night 
        knowing that should I get in a financial position and need 
        assistance, I only have to call on you and the members of this 
        organization Thank you.

    [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Makes the dollars we donated all the more 
worthwhile.
    Maria is going to now announce our committee assignments. 
Thanks for the wonderful job you do for our service support.
    Adjutant Tedrow. We all do in the office, but it's great to 
get some letters, and I think once in a while you can 
appreciate the fund more if you know something. And, of course, 
I have various letters where they thank us. I have one here 
today that she didn't even care if her name was released, but I 
do. But you are helping, believe me, you know.
    And it's a program, along with the Ed. Loan, that we can 
really see some benefits. And hopefully, through your ideas and 
everything, we can come up with other programs that can be just 
as valid and just as bit and just as important so that we say 
DAV Auxiliary, they'll know who we are.
    Okay, Let's got to Americanism. Now, I think the chairmen, 
I hope, picked up the folders in the office. But these are the 
people that will be serving on the Americanism Committee, and 
I'm going to call them out right now. We've got from District 
1, Donna Tanner of Massachusetts, Unit 115. District 2 would be 
Irene Boron, New York 1. District 3 is Wanda Furbish, New 
Hampshire 4; District 4, Idella Hosier, New Jersey 9; District 
5, Evelyn Edmond, Pennsylvania 14; District 6, Piekielniak--is 
that close enough? Okay, Mary. From Virginia 2.
    District 7, Dolly Hartman, Florida 94; District 8, 
Elizabeth Ketchum, Louisiana 30; District 9, Barbara Buckley, 
North Carolina 27; District 10, Gwen McCracken, Michigan 51; 
District 11, Judy Uetterling, Ohio 36; District 12, Nancy 
Colby, Illinois 53; District 13, Donna Hatfield, Kentucky 19; 
District 14, Sharon Kramer, Minnesota 28; Marilyn Hess, Iowa 
20; District 16, Elsa McCoy, California 19; District 17, Betty 
Conrad, Utah 8; District 18, Lellie Williams, Arizona 11.
    And unless they're come up with someone, I do not have 
anyone for District 19, District 20, Joyce Humes, Texas 114; 
and District 21, Pat McCool of Arkansas 56.
    The advisor--and I would hope that she would stand at this 
time--the advisor is Paula Raymond, and I would hope that the 
chairman stands. The chairman that has been selected is Gwen 
McCracken. And you will meet in the Wyndham Room.
    Let's go to Community Service. District 1, Fran Costa, 
Massachusetts 56; District 2, Kathleen Tedesco. New York 120; 
District 3, Jacqueline Smith, Maine Number 1; District 4, Rose 
Henn, New Jersey 32; District 5, Mary Tunstall, Pennsylvania 
14; District 6, Justine Dingus, Virginia 22; District 7, Sue 
Reed, Florida 126; District 8, Everlene Cody, Alabama 87; 
District 9, Ruth Koon, Georgia 10; District 10, Ethel White, 
Michigan 2; District 11, Marj Davies, Ohio 50; District 12, 
June Marheine Wisconsin 2; District 13, Norman Zeimet, Indiana 
26; District 14, Miriam Kiser, Minnesota 1; District 15, Mae 
Johnson, Kansas 34; District 16, Florence Swisher, California 
113; District 17, Janet Derby, Colorado 1; District 18, Karen 
Espinosa, Arizona 16; District 20, Nancy Laurence of Texas 56; 
and District 21, Sara Douglass of Arkansas 5.
    The advisor to Community Service is Phyllis Novak. Please 
stand. The chairman for this committee will be Kathleen 
Tedesco. And it will be--according to this, it says Trafalgar 
Room.
    I'm sorry. Americanism. Americanism goes to Windsor, not 
Wyndhan. Windsor on the third floor.
    Community Service goes to Trafalgar on the third floor.
    Okay. Now let's go to History Books. Good Luck! District 1, 
Annetta Boisvert, Massachusetts 13; District 2, Barbara Yenzer, 
New York 109; District 3, Jeanne Gideon, New Hampshire 7; 
District 4, Joan Kepfer, Delaware 1; District 5, Sonia Baldwin, 
Pennsylvania 98; District 6, Annis Craft, Virginia 2; District 
7, Vera Sorrentino, Florida 129; District 8, Zelma Orr, Alabama 
24; District 9, Barbara Williams, Georgia 10; District 10, 
Barbara McComb, Michigan 13; District 11, Jackie Sayre, Ohio 
22; District 12, Zona Schalow, Wisconsin 5; District 13, 
Carolyn Vogel, Indiana 19; District 14, Elaine Fagerstrom, 
North Dakota 24; District 15, Beverly Bain, Iowa 2; District 
16, Marie Bowan, California 5; District 17, Margaret Arneson, 
Utah 6; District 18, Sandra Thayer, Arizona 16; District 20, 
Mary Choate, Texas 42; District 21, Mary Pinney, Oklahoma 3.
    And they will meet in the Jasperwood on the third floor. 
Most of these rooms are on the third floor, by the way. Advisor 
of History is Ann Jones. Ann, would you please stand? And the 
chairman of the History will be Zona Schalow. Zona, are you in 
the room? There she is, way back there.
    This is the Convention Committee on Hospital. District 1, 
Louise Barrett, Massachusetts 40; District 2, Lucita Christian, 
New York 35; District 3, Gerry Young, Vermont 7; District 4, 
Melva Matlack, New Jersey 41; District 5, Angie Ofiesh, 
Pennsylvania 53; District 6, Ellen Griggs, West Virginia 6; 
District 7, Gayle Flewwellin, Florida 109; District 8, Joe 
Henry, Tennessee 116; District 9, Elizabeth Overcash, North 
Carolina 75; District 10, Kathy Drako, Michigan 129; District 
11, Virginia Gleason, Ohio 36; District 12, Betty Buck, 
Illinois 28; District 13, Ella Tyler, Indiana 19; District 14, 
Karen Haan, Minnesota 1; District 15, Olevia Dillon, Nebraska 
12; District 16, Connie Salisbury, California 94; District 17, 
Arlene Snider, Colorado 32; District 18, Barbara Bradford, 
Arizona 1; District 19, Edith Minor, Washington 46; District 
20, June Bradford, Texas 220; District 21, Nan Klee, Arkansas 
61.
    The advisor for Hospital is Grace Nagel. Is she here? There 
she is, right back there. And the chairman will be Gayle 
Flewwelin of Florida. Is she here? Would you stand, Gayle? And 
that will be in the Ascot Room.
    Let's go to Junior Activities. Okay. Junior Activities. 
District 1, Janet Clark. Massachusetts 115; District 2, 
Patricia Weinert, New York 5; District 3, Olive Manning, 
Vermont 1; District 4, Doris Martelli, New Jersey 32; District 
5, Rose Graffius, Pennsylvania 36; District 6, Neva Langston, 
Virginia 27; District 7, Bernadette Sorrentino, Florida 30; 
District 8, Fran Stringer, Louisiana 23; District 9, Barbara 
Souders, North Carolina 5; District 10, Minda Dewilder, 
Michigan 38; District 11, Marcy Mills, Ohio 43; District 12, 
Karen Eccles, Illinois 3; District 13, Kim James, Indiana 19; 
District 14, Rose Erpelding, Minnesota 35; District 15, Mary 
Pealer, Missouri 17; District 16, Dixie Robertson, Louisiana 
113; District 17, Angie Duran, New Mexico----
    [Inaudible comment from the floor.]
    Adjutant Tedrow. District 16? Where is Dixie Robertson 
from? California, Dixie? Thank you very much. Okay, so District 
16, Dixie Robertson, California. What unit, Dixie? One one 
three. Just got the wrong state.
    District 17, Angie Duran, New Mexico 3; District 18, 
Kathleen Packer, Arizona 8; District 19, Nancy Chapin, Idaho 
23; District 20, Sally Jones, Texas 84; District 21, Mary 
Roden, Arkansas 62.
    The advisor is Linda Trulio. Linda, are you here? She's way 
back there. And the chairman for that is going to be Mary Roden 
of Arkansas. And you're going to meet in the Rosedown Room on 
the third floor.
    Mae Holmes. District 1, Florence Curley, Massachusetts 97; 
District 2, Betty Nelson, New York 47; District 3, Ann Kelley, 
New Hampshire 7; District 4, Dorothea Campanelli, New Jersey 
63; District 5, Sadie Turner, Pennsylvania 14; District 6, 
Gladys Seda, Puerto Rico 1; District 7, Grace McLaughlin, 
Florida 113; District 8, Eunice Eledge, Tennessee 94; District 
9, Amy Adcock, South Carolina 30; District 10, Joann Slotman, 
Michigan 14; District 11, Libby Fancher, Ohio 63; District 12, 
Nellie Smithee, Illinois 3; District 13, Jan Walters, Indiana 
19; District 14, Annette Bain-Wilson, Montana 4; District 15, 
Bonita Mitchell, Missouri 2; District 16, Marie Zamacona, 
California 144; District 17, Susan Miller, Colorado 6; District 
18, Barbara Davison, Arizona 1; District 19, Denise Vietz, 
Washington 18; District 20, Clara Lewis, Texas 47; and District 
21, Peggy Nye, Oklahoma 49.
    The advisor on Mae Holmes is Margaret Hass. Margaret, would 
you please stand? And the chairman for the Mae Holmes will be 
Libby Fancher of Ohio. And you will meet in the Oak Alley Room 
on the third floor. Okay?
    The next one is Legislative. District 1, Ellen Drogo, 
Massachusetts 29; District 2, Terry Carlucci, New York 150; 
District 3, Maxine Clark, Vermont 7; District 4, Florence 
Kehne, Delaware 8; District 5, Mildred Furlong, Pennsylvania 
77; District 6, Wanda Voyles, Virginia 2; District 7, Mary Jane 
Dickmyer, Florida 108; District 8, Carolyn Johnson, Tennessee 
116; District 9, Estella Watts, Georgia 56; District 10, 
Deborah Emery, Michigan 129; District 11, Carolyn Reed, Ohio 
35; District 12, Betty Bumpus, Illinois 28; District 13, Maxine 
Archer, Indiana 15; District 14, Frances Benkovics, Minnesota 
10; District 15, Betty Bergquist, Kansas 4; District 16, Ruth 
De Sando, California 11; District 17, Shirley Wright, Utah 8; 
District 18, Judy Leiby, Arizona 1; District 19, Juanita Wiley, 
Washington 46; District 20, Patsy Mitchell, Texas 194; and 
District 21, Sharon Eddy, Oklahoma 32.
    The advisor to this committee, which is Legislation, is 
Evelyn Dorsey. The chairman will be Judy Leiby of Arizona. 
Judy, are you in the room? And you're going to meet in the 
Belle Chasse, and that also is on the third floor.
    I'd like to explain the reason I'm reading the unit numbers 
also is for our stenographer.
    We're almost done. Let's go to the VAVS Committee. District 
1, Miriam Daley, Massachusetts 27; District 2, Janet Willett, 
New York 1; District 3, Harriet Anderson, Rhode Island 13; 
District 4, Viola Penn, Delaware 3; District 5, Cathy Watkins, 
Pennsylvania 50; District 6, Ann Graybell, West Virginia 6; 
District 7, Myra Ferguson, Florida 13; District 8, Cornelia 
Cobb, Alabama 70; District 9, Aliene Warchak, Georgia 9; 
District 10, Bernice Sebring, Michigan 11; District 11, Sherry 
Price, Ohio 43; District 12, Barbara Curtis, Illinois 24; 
District 13, Irene Sablic, Indiana 15; District 14, Marilyn 
Vigen from Minnesota 9; District 15, Deloris Daniels, Missouri 
51; District 16, Lillian Furlanich, California 144; District 
17, Becky Lovato, New Mexico 3; District 18, Sunny Narcaroti, 
Arizona 16; District 20, Isabel Kirsct, Texas 57; and District 
21 is Dee Huber of Oklahoma 5.
    And your advisor is Lillian Nason. Lillian. She's right 
there in the back. And the chairman to that committee is going 
to be Cathy Watkins.
    Jean, do you want to come up here to the mike? I can't hear 
you.
    Member. District 2 is Jane Willett, not Janet.
    Adjutant Tedrow. I have Janet typed.
    All right. You know Lily Nason and Cathy Watkins is your 
chairman, and you are going to meet in Elmwood on the third 
floor.
    And like I said, I do want to apologize for the way I'm 
pronouncing some of these names, because some of them I'm not 
real familiar with.
    And like I said, I don want to apologize for the way I'm 
pronouncing some of these names, because some of them I'm not 
real familiar with.
    Let's go to Nominating Committee. District 1, Phyllis 
Greaney, Massachusetts 10; District 2, Jeanne Le Porte, New 
York 30; District 3, Grace Boland, Rhode Island 3; District 4, 
Frances Banghardt, New Jersey 2; District 5, Andee Silver, 
Pennsylvania 96; District 6, Mary Parrish, D.C. 5; District 7, 
Deloris Roussey, Florida 4; District 8, Virginia Mitchell, 
Alabama 80; District 9, Vicky Grier, Georgia 10; District 10, 
Gloria Boozer, Michigan 20; District 11, Edith Cottrill, Ohio 
31; District 12, Nelda Wilson, Illinois 8; District 13, 
Hannelore Ciccarelli, Kentucky 1; District 14, Katherine 
Pearson, Minnesota 10; District 15, Dorothy Van Hoy, Missouri 
2; District 16, Melba Morgan, California 22; District 17, 
Florence Valgardson, Utah 1; District 18, Donna Sellers, Nevada 
1; District 19, Kathryn Wiley, Washington 46; District 20, 
Louise Rapisand, Texas 10; and District 21, Gertrude Tidwell of 
Oklahoma 60.
    And the advisor to this committee will be the immediate 
past commander. Jane Troutman. This committee will elect its 
own chairman, and you will meet in the Norwich Room on the 
third floor.
    The very last one, Constitution and Bylaws. District 1, 
Lillian Van Galen, Massachusetts 115; District 2, Dolores 
Robidoux, New York 185; District 3, Ann Young, New Hampshire 7; 
District 4, June Becker, New Jersey 49; District 5, Rhea Lynn, 
Pennsylvania 4; District 6, Ardalia Taylor, D.C. 3; District 7, 
Lucille McCarthy, Florida 4; District 8, Susan Henry, Tennessee 
116; District 9, Renee Jones, North Carolina 18; District 10, 
Addie White, Michigan 86' District 11, Joyce Hutchinson, Ohio 
63; District 12, Bernie Errett, Illinois 15; District 13, 
Joanne Laws, Kentucky 19; District 14, Judith Steinhouse, North 
Dakota 8; District 15, Rose Schilpp, Missouri 2; District 16, 
Joan Turbeville, California 58; District 17, Jean Jackson, 
Colorado 26; District 18, Shirley Kosisky, Arizona 8; District 
19, Esther Westlake, Washington 45; District 20, Betty Hall, 
Texas 9; and District 21, Loneita Shoemaker of Arkansas 7.
    The advisor to this committee will be Shelia Allred, and 
you will elect the chairman, and you will be located in the 
Newbury Room on the third floor.
    And that completes those.
    Commander Hicks. I neglected to do something that I would 
like to have all of us see. Would the people that are attending 
the national convention for the first time please stand? 
[Applause.] Look at this! Wonderful! We welcome each and every 
one of you.
    And I hope that you were able to get on a committee, 
because that is a learning experience. And just because you're 
here the first time does not mean that you are not qualified to 
serve on a committee, because that's where we all learn. That 
is very important. And please don't be afraid to ask questions, 
ladies, because that's how we learn.
    Adjutant Tedrow. Now for some brief announcements.
    First of all, Forget-Me-Not. The forget-Me-Not tickets have 
been sold in the back of the room all morning. The cutoff date 
on those tickets will be 10:00 o'clock tomorrow morning. After 
that, you are not going to get any. So you're going to have to 
decide if you want any. Ten o'clock tomorrow morning, we will 
not sell any more Forget-Me-Not tickets.
    All right. ``Please announce that we would like all the 
Illinois ladies to meet in the back of the room immediately 
following this meeting.'' Did all the Illinois ladies hear 
that? Immediately following this meeting, to please meet in the 
back of the room.
    I believe that that's all the announcements for now.
    I know one other thing. I usually try to do this at the 
beginning of the session, and I want to do it now. I want to at 
this time recognize Helen Parcelle who did such a fabulous job 
last year at our Las Vegas convention. Helen, there you are 
back there. [Applause.]
    Okay. If anybody finds anything at all, turn it in to our 
Headquarters Office down on the second floor.
    And at this time, Fay, if you want to come up and read this 
brief reading.
    Mrs. Fay E. Brodhead. Hi, you-all. Most of you all know me. 
I'm Fay Brodhead. My husband is Russell Brodhead, and I'm with 
Unit 108 in sunny Cape Coral, Florida, but I was born in New 
Orleans, and I have been planning this for two years, since the 
last one in either Melbourne or Altamonte Springs, Florida. We 
are going to have a ball tonight, so you-all better come.
    I have something here that my oldest daughter sent me about 
ten years ago to Florida, and it says:

          Your know you're at home in New Orleans when you drink Dixie, 
        not sing it. You begin to believe that purple, green and gold 
        look good together and will even eat things those colors. You 
        know exactly what you're going to eat next Monday and the next 
        Monday after that and after that, because, as you know, New 
        Orleans' red beans and rice, we Orleans residents eat every 
        Monday.
          Your're not afraid when someone wants to axe you--that's a-x-
        e--instead of ask you, a-s-k, or a-s-k-e-d.
          You get on a bus marked ``Cemeteries,'' without even a second 
        thought.
          The cemeteries are the end of Canal Street where there's a 
        bus. We only have one existing streetcar in the United States, 
        and that's in New Orleans, and you can go all the way to the 
        Audubon Zoo, I hope they play that song tonight, ``They All Ask 
        For You.'' That is a song called, ``The Audubon Zoo.''
          You know exactly that living anywhere else in the world would 
        definitely be very sad.

    I thank you. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you.
    Ladies, we are going to recess at this time and then we 
will have our committee meetings this afternoon and reconvene 
tomorrow.
    Commander Hicks. Ladies, don't forget to remove the flags, 
please.
    [Whereupon, the meeting recessed at 12:00 o'clock noon, 
July 29, 1996.]

                        SECOND BUSINESS SESSION

                             July 29, 1996

    The Second Business Session of the Disabled American 
Veterans Auxiliary 74th National Convention convened in the 
Napoleon Room of the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, New Orleans, 
Louisiana, Tuesday morning, July 30, 1996, and was called to 
order at 9:15 o'clock a.m. by Commander Barbara L. Hicks.
    Commander Barbara L. Hicks. The Second Session of the 
Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary National Convention will 
now come to order, please.
    Carol Gray, our chaplain, will lead us in our opening 
prayer.
    Chaplain Gray. Would you all please join hands? O God, Our 
Help in ages past and for the years to come, we thank You for 
the sunshine of this new day You have given to us. Today let us 
rejoice with those units who will receive recognition for the 
work they have done for our veterans, their families and for 
our communities.
    Although storm clouds gather far across the sea,
          Let us swear allegiance to our land so free.
          May we be always grateful for this land so fair,
          And please join our voices in this solemn prayer.
    [Singing of ``God Bless America''.]
    Chaplain Gray. Amen.
    Commander Hicks. Our Pledge of Allegiance will be led by 
the National Americanism Chairman Paula Raymond.
    [Pledge of Allegiance.]
    Commander Hicks. How about that Mardi Gras party last 
night? [Applause.] I'd like to thank the Department of 
Louisiana. It was absolutely fabulous. And I enjoyed it so very 
much, because I knew who you were, but I hope all of you didn't 
know who I was for a long time.
    Our National Junior Activities Chairman Linda Trulio has a 
board outside the meeting room, and so many have sent in 
pictures from your junior activities this year, and I really 
would like you to take time to go out and look at it. And 
Linda, thank you for that. It's very, very nice. Our juniors, 
as I've stated so much, do so many things.
    Dorothy, are you here with a Credentials report, please?
    Member. Madam Commander, this is the Credentials report for 
July 30th, 1996. The following units have not yet been cleared 
for voting. A unit representative must report to the Auxiliary 
Headquarters Office in the Eglinton and Winton Room, second 
floor. District of Columbia Number 1; Louisiana 15; Mississippi 
54; Nevada 12; Vermont 17; West Virginia 8; Puerto Rico 6; 
Hawaii 1.
    Total units registered, 336; total departments registered, 
37; total of 373. Delegates registered, 647; alternates 
registered, 40; guests, 90; a total of 780. Total unit votes, 
2,118; total department votes, 37; total national officers, 8; 
past national commanders, 12; grand total of votes, 2,175.
    Madam Commander, I make a motion for this to be accepted as 
read.
    Commander Hicks. Is there a second to this motion, please?
    [Motion seconded from the floor.]
    Commander Hicks. All in favor, signify by saying Aye; 
opposed. So ordered.
    Would the chairman of the Constitution and Bylaws Committee 
please come forward for the first reading? Ladies, since this 
is the first reading, there will be no discussion at this time.
    Pages, would you please check to see whose hands go up? 
Everyone does not have copies of these, plus the head table 
does not.
    Mrs. Renee Jones. National Commander, national officers, 
past national commanders, delegates, alternates and guests of 
the Annual Convention of the Disabled American Veterans 
Auxiliary: The Constitution and Bylaws Committee met on Monday, 
July 29th, 1996 at 2:00 p.m. in the Newbury Room at the Hilton 
Riverside in New Orleans, Louisiana.
    The meeting was called to order by Advisor and National 
Judge Advocate Shelia Allred. The first order of business was 
the nomination and election of Renee Jones as chairman, 
followed by nomination and election of Addie White as 
secretary.
    The committee voted to present the following amendments. 
Page S-1, Article I, State Organization, Section 1, 
Administration. Delete paragraph and substitute the following:

          This state department is organized with the specific consent 
        and recognition of the parent organization and shall be 
        governed by these Standard State Bylaws, State Standing Rules, 
        Supplement to State Bylaws and the National Constitution and 
        Bylaws of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary.

    Rationale: In addition to the Standard State Bylaws, each 
state department is governed by their State Standing Rules.
    Page S-11, Article VI, State Committees, Section 4, State 
Standing Committees. Add new Section 4. New Section 4 will 
read:

          In addition to having an elected state Finance Committee and 
        a state Nominating Committee, a state department may have other 
        elected state standing committees. Such committees shall be 
        provided for in their State Standing Rules. These rules shall 
        include the number of members serving on a committee, term/
        terms of office and duties of the committee. Any committee 
        vacancies shall be filled with an appointment made by the state 
        commander and approved by the state Executive Committee.

    Rationale: A standing committee that requires continuity 
shall be elected committee, since the term of an appointed 
committee cannot exceed that of the appointing power. When new 
Section 4 is adopted, old Section 4 will become Section 5, and 
old Section 5 will become Section 6.
    Page S-14, Article 8, Finances, Section 5, State Fund-
Raising Project/Projects, Paragraph 2. Delete Paragraph 2 and 
substitute the following:

          All fund-raising projects or activities for the state 
        department must be approved by the Disabled American Veterans 
        state department and the DAV National Executive Committee.

    Rationale: Paragraph 2 is amended in order to agree with 
the DAV National Bylaws.
    Page U-3, Article II, Unit Officers, Section 2, Elected 
Officers. Add new Paragraph 5. New Paragraph 5 will read:

          In the event of the removal of a state Executive 
        Committeewoman from office or her death, resignation or 
        inability to discharge the duties of her office, same shall 
        devolve upon the alternate state Executive Committeewoman. An 
        election shall then be held for the position of alternate state 
        Executive Committeewoman. Elected alternate shall be installed 
        by a proper installing officer.

    Rationale: No provision has been made in the Standard Local 
Unit Bylaws for filling state Executive Committeewoman and 
alternate state Executive Committeewoman vacancies. New 
Paragraph 5 would provide this procedure.
    Page U-12, Article VII, Unit Finance and Dues, Section 3, 
Fund-Raising Project/Projects. Delete third paragraph of 
Section 3 and substitute the following:

          Where no commissions are to be paid, no prior approval shall 
        be required from the DAV department Executive Committee when 
        the gross receipts will be less than $5,000; provided, however, 
        that advance notice of 30 days to the DAV state department 
        shall be required on all such finance-raising activity.

    Rationale: Paragraph 3 is amended in order to agree with 
the DAV National Bylaws.
    Thank you.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Renee.
    Ladies, we are going to go into our awards, reports and 
awards. As your chairman is called and she calls the names of 
the winners, would you all please come up and then if you want 
pictures, you can stand over at the side and have them taken, 
so this will expedite the procedure, please.
    Paula Raymond, Americanism. This is such a special time, 
because each and every unit works so hard during the year, so 
let's be enthusiastic and show whoever wins that we really do 
care. Little things we do show we care.
    3rd Junior Vice-Commander Paula Raymond. The chairman of 
the Americanism Committee was Gwen McCracken, and I'd like to 
ask her to come up here, please. This committee worked very, 
very hard. I'm very proud of them. They got right down to it. 
The Americanism reports this year were, all of them, very good. 
They had a tough time in there. They stewed and fretted, but 
they did an excellent job.
    Mrs. Gwen McCracken. Good morning, ladies. Laissez les bon 
temps roullez. I learned it. Didn't we have a wonderful time 
last night? I would personally like to thank Louisiana ladies 
for your wonderful hospitality. [Applause.]
    I would like the members of our committee to please rise, 
the Americanism Committee. As Paula has stated to you, these 
ladies worked very hard, and we deliberated and deliberated, 
and it was very wonderful to see so much work going into these 
reports.
    I will read the names of our committee: Donna Turner, who 
was elected our secretary; Irene Boron; Wanda Furbish; Idella 
Hosier. Ladies, you can sit down if you'd like to. But you do 
deserve a round of applause when we're finished. Evelyn Edmond; 
Marianne Peikielniak; Dolly Hartman; Elizabeth Ketchum; Barbara 
Buckley; myself, Gwen McCracken; Judith Uetterling; Nancy 
Colby; Donna Hatfield; Sharon Kramer; Marilyn Hess; Elsa McCoy; 
Betty Conrad; Lellie Williams; Deborah Mazza; Joyce Humes; and 
Patricia McCool.
    And ladies, I personally thank you as chairman. You did a 
wonderful job. You deserve a round of applause. [Applause.]
    Our committee met at 2 o'clock, July the 29th, 1996. Our 
advisor was Paula Raymond. Our secretary elected was Donna 
Tanner. And our results are as follows. And ladies, I want to 
let you know. We had a very, very difficult time. Your reports 
were excellent. And to see the committee do the amount of work 
that they had to do to come up with the winners--you are all 
winners, and I thank you for the work that we do.
    Group I would be 10 to 50 members. Mountain Top Unit 29, 
Oakland, Maryland. [Applause.] Congratulations.
    Charles Gustafson Unit 94, Florida. [Applause.]
    Bedford County Unit 48, Washington, North Carolina. 
[Applause.]
    Sonoma County--wait a minute here. We have a mistake, 
girls. Just a moment. I'm sorry. I should have announced the 
categories.
    The Charles Gustafson Unit 94, Florida was from 51 to a 
hundred; 101 to 200 was Bedford County 48, Washington, North 
Carolina. Group IV would be--I'm sorry. Beaufort? Sonoma County 
Unit 48, Santa Rosa, California for 201 and over. [Applause.]
    We have our Special Americanism Award, and this was the 
most difficult award for our committee to judge. I'm sure all 
the ladies on the committee would agree with that. But we came 
up with a winner. As I said, we're all winners. But we chose 
this very special award to go to Boise, Idaho, Unit Number 2. 
So congratulations, Boise. [Applause.]
    Congratulations to all, and I would like to thank the 
committee and our advisor. I think we all learned an awful lot 
in that meeting.
    Now, we do have some recommendations. Our committee 
recommends that no money is mentioned on the report. We feel 
that the amounts are not required to be on that Americanism 
report. So they suggest there be no monies mentioned on that 
report.
    Another suggestion is there should be a Special Americanism 
Program only. That's what it should state for the Americanism 
Programs, just dealing directly with Americanism, because we do 
have a tendency to confuse our committees here with community 
service and so on.
    Eliminate the wording of ``flagpole donations'' on Question 
Number 2. And eliminate Question Number 8 on the 
naturalization, due to the fact that many of our units do not 
live near any of our borders, and they have a difficult time 
trying to do anything towards that program.
    And that would be it. I thank you so very, very much, 
ladies. Let the good times roll. Thank you. [Applause.]
    Oh, I'm, sorry. Another mistake. We have some honorable 
mentions for our Special Americanism Program, and that would be 
Quad City Unit 53, Granite City, Illinois; John Holden Unit 8, 
Murphy, Utah; and Nob Hill Unit 26, Colorado Springs, Colorado. 
So if you ladies, if you have anyone here in attendance, please 
come up. We have special awards for you. Thank you. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Paula.
    We are going to deviate here. Ann, are you ready with 
History? Ann Jones for the history books.
    Mrs. Ann M. Jones. Thank you, Commander Barbara. I was a 
little bit disappointed judging the history books. We only had 
four. Our chairman was Zona Schalow. Zona, are you here? Here 
she comes. Zona was our very able chairman, and she will tell 
you about the judging of the history books.
    NEC 12th District Zona M. Schalow. Good morning, everyone. 
National Commander Barbara, national officers, past national 
commanders, members and guests of the Disabled American 
Veterans Auxiliary: Well, it was quite a challenge, I must say. 
The districts that we had were--the only district we had 
missing was 19. And I would just like to have the ladies stand 
up that worked on these four books so diligently for History. 
Are they all in the room? These are the ladies that really 
worked. [Applause.]
    Our secretary that was elected was from District 20, Unit 
42, Texas. She was Mary Choate. And our advisor was Ann Jones. 
We met in the Jasper Room at 2 p.m. on July 29th, and we closed 
at 4 o'clock, so we really worked our little tails off.
    There were four books for judging, and the winner was rated 
97, and that was Michigan. [Applause.] Thank you. Their book 
was beautiful. I want to just tell you that all the books were 
beautiful, but Michigan was very outstanding.
    And some of the problems that we had were one state used a 
marking pencil, and the marking pencil bled through the sheets 
of the pages. And some of the words were misspelled. Some of 
the articles were not in order. And some of the books were just 
not at all complete, and not enough information, and some had 
smudges. You have to be careful when you use the glue. It oozes 
out on the edges of the pictures, and a lot of pictures were 
missing.
    So I just want to thank the committee and thank Ann Jones 
for helping me out, and it was a great pleasure to do this. 
Thank you. [Applause.]
    Mrs. Minda Dewilder. Good morning, ladies. They told me to 
say something. All I have to say is thank you very much. I 
worked hard on it. [Applause.]
    Mrs. McCracken. Ladies, I must tell you, Minda Dewilder is 
an excellent, excellent hand-writer and organizer, and I know 
what I was doing when I asked her to be my History chairman. 
I'm so very proud of her. Thank you, Minda.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, ladies.
    Grace Nagel, Hospital chairman, please.
    Don't you think our musician is doing an absolutely 
outstanding job? [Applause.]
    Mrs. Grace Nagel. Good morning. It was my pleasure to be 
the advisor to this committee. We had a great time, and we had 
a hard time. We worked very diligently and for a long while, 
and everybody went over everybody else's papers to meet an 
agreement.
    I would like Gayle Flewwellin, please, to come up, who was 
our chairman. And I want to tell you gals from Florida, I also 
belong to your group. They didn't know that.
    Mrs. Gayle Flewwellin. Ladies, National Commander, past 
national commanders, and all state commanders, NECs, 
alternates, units: It's a pleasure to be here before you and to 
have worked with the ladies on the VA Hospital--can you hear 
me? Non-VA hospital. Could someone bring my folder up to me? I 
was not aware I had to do this; believe me, I wasn't.
    Commander Hicks. While we are waiting, ladies, the memorial 
service on Sunday, we always have the same gentleman that's in 
charge of the directing of it, Vinny Reed, and he happened to 
mention, make a good mistake of mentioning that he had a new 
granddaughter. Well, naturally, I had one of these, and he just 
sent me a little note up, and he said, ``Barbara, thank you. 
The proud grandpa.'' So here's a membership for Massachusetts. 
[Applause.]
    Mrs. Flewwellin. Thank you for being so patient. The 
categories from 10 to 50 members, Flat River 106, Greenville, 
Mississippi. [Applause.] Come on up.
    Categories from 51 to 100 members, Robert Loveday Memorial, 
Chattanooga, Tennessee. [Applause.]
    Categories 101 to 200 members, Radcliff 136, Radcliff, 
Kentucky. [Applause.]
    Category 201 members and over, Nob Hill Number 26, Colorado 
Springs, Colorado. [Applause.]
    And while they are coming up to receive their awards, will 
all the members that participated in the selection of these 
awards please stand up. We thank you very much. [Applause.]
    Member. It's an honor for me to receive this award as the 
state commander of Colorado, but I'm not surprised, because we 
have some very good ladies and some very hard-working women 
there. Thank you.
    Mrs. Flewwellin. There's a correction on that first one. It 
was my error and no one else's error. Flat River 106, 
Greenville, Michigan. [Applause.]
    And then there were some recommendations made to eliminate 
Number 5 on the report, that's miles traveled. The committee 
felt that 6 and 7 conflict with each other. They see no 
difference in it. And is there a difference? And could 6 and 7 
be combined using the note attached to 7? That's the 
recommendations from the committee.
    Commander Hicks. Ladies, is there someone here from 
Kentucky to pick the award up?
    Mrs. Flewwellin. Is there anyone from Kentucky here?
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, ladies.
    Sergeant-at-arms, do we have a guest waiting? Would you 
please escort Reverend Wilkie to the platform? [Applause.]
    Reverend Wilkie, it's indeed an honor and pleasure to have 
you address the ladies at this convention.
    Reverend Oscar Wilkie. Thank you very much, Commander 
Hicks. Oh, what a joy it is to come and to share with you on 
such an occasion as this. It's been one of the highlights of my 
experience in the DAV to come and to bring greeting to you each 
convention, and then to meet so many of you at he department 
conventions where I've been privileged to go.
    The highlights of these last eight, nine years are so very, 
very many. But surely among them are working with such people 
as your commander, Barbara, and with--I understand the 
Nominating Committee has nominated somebody for commander next 
year yet? They're going to, they're working on it. I hear all 
kinds of rumors. You know, down in our part of the world, rumor 
mill, you wouldn't believe, or maybe you would.
    But nevertheless, working with this lovely lady, Margaret 
Hass, has been such a privilege. We started together as 
chaplains--we're not going to tell how many years ago. But it's 
been a pleasure working with her and her family, and with each 
of you.
    Your adjutant, what can I say? She is one of the finest 
ladies, one of the most dedicated individuals and committed to 
veterans I've ever had the privilege to be around. [Applause.]
    And this is kind of my swan song, in a way. I'm not going 
to be seeking election this year for chaplain. If you've heard 
that rumor, it is true. And I'm going to try to retire this 
year. I've been preaching some 48 years. And really, it's 
because of illness and fatigue. The people are sick and tired 
of me. [Laughter.] So I thought maybe I'd just kind of take a 
little time to get refreshed and relaxed a little.
    But I do have a very special thing I want to do today, but 
before I do it, I don't know if you've heard about this friend 
of mine--you know, have you been to the hospitals lately and 
recognized the medical expenses? Go to see a doctor or a 
veterinarian or that stuff? You just can't hardly afford to go.
    A friend of mine had a dog that had died, had been his 
constant companion, constant companion for 20 years. The dog 
died, but the man decided, well, I've got to get something done 
for my dog. Took him to the vet, said, ``Doc, you've got to do 
something for my dog. You've just got to help him.'' So the doc 
looked at the dog, and said, ``Sir, the dog's dead.''
    The man said, ``No, no, no, no. You don't understand. He's 
been with me for 20 years. We've been everywhere together. Do 
something. Give him a shot. Do something.'' Okay. So he took 
him in the examining room, laid him on the table. The dog's 
dead. He reached over, got a needle, gave him a shot. The dog 
didn't move. The dog's dead.
    ``What can I do to try to revive this dog?'' Well, he'd 
been working on a cat that he had there, reached over in the 
cage and got the cat out, figuring that the dog would come 
alive surely if he smelled a cat. Took the cat and held him 
over the dog, and dog didn't move. Put the cat up, took the dog 
out, and said, ``Sir, I'm sorry, but you dog is dead. There's 
nothing I can do.''
    The fellow said, ``Well, I guess if he's dead, he's dead, 
but I just couldn't bury him. he's been so precious. Could you 
take care of him for me?'' ``Well, sure, but it'll cost you 350 
bucks.'' ``Three hundred and fifty bucks? What are you talking? 
How come so much?''
    He said, ``Well, 50 bucks for the office call and 300 for 
the cat scan.'' [Laughter and applause.]
    What a joy it is to share with all of you who, as I say, 
have meant so much for so long. It's a tremendous honor and 
privilege for me to represent an organization in Valley Forge, 
Pennsylvania that calls itself the Chapel of Four Chaplains. It 
was organized in memory of four chaplains who gave their lives 
back in February of 1943.
    A troop ship was sailing just off the coast of Greenland 
when a U-boat spotted it in the cross hairs of its periscope 
early that morning, fired five torpedoes which found their mark 
deep below the waterline of the USAT Dorchester. Of the 902 men 
that were aboard that vessel, only 230 of them survived. During 
the confusion and the fear that was reigning supreme during the 
time the ship went down, which took only 27 minutes, there were 
four chaplains, one Jewish, one of the Dutch Reformed Church, 
one a Catholic priest and one a Methodist minister, who took 
their own life jackets off and gave them to young men who had 
none, thereby linking arms as the ship went down, giving the 
supreme sacrifice so that others may live.
    The Chapel of Four Chaplains was organized and dedicated in 
Valley Forge in memory to that kind of selfless service, and it 
is an honor and a privilege for me to come today, representing 
that organization, to pay tribute to your commander, Barbara 
Hicks, who has given of herself in the same sense of selfless 
service to so many across the years of her service in the DAV 
Auxiliary and at other times.
    There is a medallion that goes with this, and Barbara, if I 
may, I'd like to present it to you [Applause.] And I have a 
plaque with a picture of those four chaplains on it that reads 
like this:

          The Legion of Honor Bronze Medallion presented to Barbara L. 
        Hicks, National Commander, DAV Auxiliary, 1995-96, by the 
        Chapel of Four Chaplains, Valley Forge, Pennsylvania, in 
        recognition of outstanding service to all people, regardless of 
        race or faith. This award symbolizes for all Americans and for 
        all time the unity of this nation founded upon the Fatherhood 
        of One God.

    Congratulations, Barbara. [Applause.]
    Thank you very much. God bless you, God bless the 
Auxiliary, and God bless the U.S. of A. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you so very, very much, Reverend 
Wilkie. I don't know what I've done to deserve that, but isn't 
that an honor? Wow! You will have to forgive me. I'm just a tad 
shook.
    Would our Junior Activities chairman, Linda Trulio, please 
come forward for her presentations of awards?
    Mrs. Linda A. Trulio. Madam Commander, national officers, 
past national commanders and members of the Auxiliary: It was 
indeed an honor and a pleasure to serve this year as Junior 
Activities chairman. I would hope that you are pleased and 
proud, just as I am, to see the little girls here, and that you 
would remember to include them in your departments and in all 
your Auxiliary work. They are our future. We must invest in 
their future, and investing in theirs, they will become ours.
    Barbara, I would personally like to just thank you for 
giving this flower a chance to bloom.
    And I would like to call up now our commander from 
Arkansas. Mary, would you like to come up now?
    Commander Hicks. Did you all get your package of forget-me-
nots that the juniors were passing out as you entered?
    Mrs. Mary E. Roden. Good morning, ladies. And as Linda 
says, it is an honor to see our juniors here and see them so 
active, and they are our future. The Junior Activities 
Committee met in the Rosedown Room at 2 p.m., July 29. Our 
advisor was Linda Trulio. Mary Roden was your chairman. 
Secretary was Minda Dewilder. Minda does write very well. I 
highly recommend her.
    The members of our committee worked very diligently in 
judging the reports, and I would like to thank the committee. 
And when I call your name, would you please stand? Ladies I 
don't intend to call your last name, because I can't pronounce 
some of them. Janet Clark; Olive; Doris; Rose; Neva Langston. 
Please stand, ladies. Ladies, would you all please stand. We'll 
eliminate that. [Laughter and applause.]
    Linda, I would like to thank you for a job well done. And 
thank our juniors for the work they have done and they continue 
to do, and they are our future. And I would like to thank you 
all for asking me to be the chairman. Thank you. And I love you 
all. [Applause.]
    And our winners in Group I, from 1 to 25, Black Mountain, 
Nevada, Unit 12. [Applause.]
    Group II, 26 to 50 members, Westover Unit Number 11, 
Massachusetts. [Applause.]
    Group III, 51 to a hundred, Milwaukee Unit Number 1, 
Wisconsin. [Applause.]
    Junior Activities Book. Please look at it, ladies; it's 
very interesting. Unit 10, Kingman, Arizona. [Applause.]
    National Miss Teenage, 13 to 17, Tabitha Lyons, Westover 
Unit 11, West Springfield, Massachusetts. [Applause.]
    National Junior Miss, ages 7 to 12, Rachel Ellen Witt, 
Mountaintop Unit 29, Maryland. [Applause.]
    National Mini Miss under the age of seven, Tara 
Vandeneynde, Buddy Unit Number 43, Ohio. [Applause.]
    Thank you all.
    Commander Hicks. Since I'm from Ohio, I have already been 
invited to the picnic that they will be having the 10th of 
August, and it will indeed be an honor to take this and 
personally present it.
    Our National Junior Miss last year was from Jackson, Ohio, 
and she led the Pledge of Allegiance at my testimonial dinner. 
So this is just fantastic.
    And not only do I congratulate her; it's all of the 
winners, ladies. I didn't mean to be partial. Wouldn't do that 
for anything in the world. No, Maria, not for anything in the 
world. They're all special, each and every one of them.
    Phyllis, we've been kind of going over your name because I 
know you've been out here Would you like to do Community 
Service Awards at this time, please?
    We're going to continue to skip this one right now, because 
now the chairman is out of the room.
    So Evelyn Dorsey, are you ready for Legislation, please?
    2nd Junior Vice-Commander Dorsey. Thank you, Commander, 
Barbara. Good morning, ladies. It's been a pleasure to serve as 
the Legislative chairman for this year. It has been a very 
interesting year in our lives as spouses and children of 
disabled veterans, and you ladies are to be commended for 
rising to the occasion. Your reports reflected you commitment 
and interest in what's going on as it relates to legislation 
pertaining to our veterans.
    At this time, I'd like to call the chairperson of the 
committee Judy Leiby, to come forward and give the report.
    Mrs. Judy Lieby. It was an honor, Commander Barbara, 
national officers, past national commanders and members, to 
serve as the chair of this committee. I have to admit, I went 
in a little bit nervous, because I said, ``What am I supposed 
to do?'' And they said, ``Just do what you do at the state 
level.'' So that's what I tried to do.
    I'd like to thank all the ladies that served on the 
committee. They did a fantastic job. It was a difficult job, 
and certainly all of you are to be commended for the work you 
did on the reports and on the legislative issues.
    I'd like to call the names very quickly of the ladies who 
served, and if they would stand: Ellen Drogo; Maxine Clark; 
Florence Kehne; Mildred Furlong; Wanda Voyles; Mary Jane 
Dickmyer; Carolyn Johnson; Estella Watts; Deborah Emery; 
Carolyn Reed; Betty Bumpus; Maxine Archer; Frances Benkovics; 
Betty Bergquist; Ruth De Sando; Shirley Wright; Juanita Wiley, 
who became know in the meeting as ``wiley'' Juanita; Patsy 
Mitchell and Sharon Eddy. They did a great job. Let's give them 
a hand. [Applause.]
    The National Legislative Convention Committee met in the 
Belle Chasse Room at 2:15 on the 29th of July, 1996. Our 
advisor was Evelyn Dorsey. Mary Jane Dickmyer was selected as 
secretary. And what we did in our selection of secretary was 
run a lottery. The person that sat down in the right seat was 
elected, and that was Mary Jane. [Laughter.]
    Everybody worked very, very hard.
    Group I, 10 to 50 members. The winner was Maryland Number 
29. [Applause.]
    Groupd II, 51 to a hundred members, Killeen, Texas Number 
147. [Applause.]
    Group III, 101 to 200 members, Macon, Georgia Number 50. 
[Applause.]
    And Group IV, 201 members and over--and I didn't tell 
anybody, did I?--Arizona Number 1, Phoenix Number 1. 
[Applause.]
    The committee did come up with two brief recommendations. 
They would like to see copies of the winning reports sent to 
each state for distribution to the units. They think this will 
help the smaller units and new people in the units to see what 
a report really should look like.
    And we do feel that more specific guidelines be given on 
how to weigh the points in each category. It was very 
difficult. We were getting 12 and three-quarters and 12 and a 
half because some of them were very, very close, ladies. It was 
very difficult to make that decision.
    But I want to command everybody because what has happened 
legislatively this year shows that you've worked very hard. 
Thank you very much. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you very much. I just have been 
listening to some of the names, and I wonder how many people 
that served on committees this year were a member of a 
committee for the first time? Look at the hands! Isn't that 
great? Thank you for coming to convention and giving your time 
and being a part of the convention. [Applause.]
    Now, Phyllis, you said your chairman is here? We can do 
Community Service? Thank you.
    4th Junior Vice-Commander Phyllis Novak. Thank you. Good 
morning, everyone. May I ask Kathleen Tedesco and Ms. Espinosa 
to please come forward?
    And while they're coming up, I just want to say that at the 
Fall Conference, we had the Community Service Program, and you 
all received a little heart, and we wore it on our sleeves. And 
that really was kind of making a statement. We do so much that 
we just don't give ourselves credit for. We're so used to 
giving that we take it as second nature. And we need to let 
others know what we do, so that they'll realize that we as 
members of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary are 
providing service, and when we need their support, they will 
give to us.
    Throughout the year, I encouraged you to take those lights 
out from underneath the bushel baskets you'd hidden them under. 
And ladies, you did that. There was a significant increase in 
the number of hours of community service that you gave on your 
reports when you handed them in in April of May.
    And today you received a new heart, and if you noticed, it 
has another dimension because, ladies, your hearts are full. 
They are to the bursting point. You have given, given, given, 
all of you. And I applaud all of you for all the hours that you 
give to make us important in the eyes of others. [Applause.]
    I'd like to present Kathleen Tedesco, who was our committee 
chairperson, and she'll read the winners.
    Mrs. Kathleen Tedesco. I'd like to thank you for the 
opportunity. It was a real pleasure working with the women on 
Community Service. First, before I announce the winners, I'd 
like Karen to introduce our committee and have you all stand, 
please.
    Mrs. Karen Espinosa. Good morning. Okay. If these ladies 
will please stand and hold your applause until they are all 
introduced: District 1, Fran Costa; District 2, Kathleen 
Tedesco; District 3, Jacqueline Smith; District 4, Rose Henn; 
District 5, Mary Tunstall; District 6, Justine Dingus; District 
7, Sue Reed; District 8, Everlene Cody; District 9, Ruth Koon; 
District 10, Ethel White; District 11, Marj Davies; District 
12, June Marheine; District 13, Norma Zeimet; District 14, 
Miriam Kiser; District 15, Mae Johnson; District 16, Florence 
Swisher; District 17, Janet Derby; District 18, Karen Espinosa; 
District 20, Nancy Laurence; and District 21, Sara Douglass
    It was a pleasure working with you ladies. [Applause.]
    Mrs. Tedesco. Thank you, ladies. You all did a fantastic 
job. You worked together as a team, and it just showed how 
wonderful the Auxiliary can be.
    Now I'll announce the winners. Group I, 10 to 50 members, 
Mountain Top Number 29, Maryland. [Applause.]
    Fifty-one to a hundred members, Roll of Honor Number 120, 
New York. [Applause.]
    Group III, 101 to 200, Cape Code Number 96, Massachusetts. 
[Applause.]
    And Group IV, 201 members and over, Altman Ruoff Osier 
Number 6, Washington. [Applause.]
    Congratulations to you all.
    Now, we do have two recommendations. One, that the reports 
submitted to National should be free of extra markings and 
numbers that the state does on scoring, because it gets very 
confusing when you're adding up your scoring and you see a 
different number. And also, a reminder again to fill out the 
top part of the form completely to have the chairman or the 
commander sign the form.
    Thank you very much for the privilege. [Applause.]
    4th Junior Vice-Commander Novak. Kathy doesn't want to take 
all the honors here, but she is the commander of one of the 
units that won. So congratulations. [Applause.]
    Thank you, ladies.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you.
    You ladies may have noticed that we have a group of ladies 
up here that have red and white checked aprons or dresses, or 
whatever, on. This is a very, very hard-working group of ladies 
from Arkansas that hosted the Southern Caucus breakfast this 
morning. Ladies, would you stand and share your outfits so the 
ladies will know why you have these on? [Applause.]
    And I think you might be interested to know they had a 
very, very interesting program on mothers of Presidents. You 
know, there is always a good woman behind a successful man. And 
instead of the wives, they went back and give history of the 
mothers and how they encouraged and lifted and pushed and 
educated their sons to become active and read and all of the 
things that they've done, and they all became Presidents. And I 
think it was so very interesting, and everyone at the breakfast 
this morning went home with a piece of history that we will 
always be able to share.
    Thank you, ladies. It was so enjoyable. [Applause.]
    And now we are ready to do VAVS. Lillian Nason and Oliver 
Tomlin, deputy representatives, please.
    Mrs. Lillian Nason. Good morning, everyone. National 
Commander Barb, national officers, past national commanders, 
delegates and guests to this convention: This year has been a 
very rewarding and a highlighted experience of my life. Please 
do not forget that these chairmanships, appointments and 
whatever, you learn a lot. I have learned. And many of you will 
be seeing a lot of changes within the VAMCs, and probably 
already have, and this new vision. And if any way possible, 
please try to attend the seminar this afternoon. I understand 
there's going to be quite a bit of changes.
    I'd like to introduce to you--most of you know her--our 
national deputy rep, Oliver Tomlin. She has stood behind me 
this year and helped me a great deal, and I appreciate her very 
much. [Applause.]
    At this time, I would like to call Cathy Watkins to come up 
to the podium, please. And there again, I would like to also 
say that this committee really worked hard, and we had a number 
of new members serving on this committee. It was a new learning 
experience, and they did a fantastic job, and I want to also 
thank them.
    Mrs. Olive Tomlin. Good morning, ladies. National 
Commander, National Adjutant, national officers, past national 
commanders, delegates and guests of the 74th National Auxiliary 
Convention: The National VAVS Convention Committee met in the 
Elmwood Room at 2:00 p.m. on July 29th. Our advisor was Lillian 
Nason. Myra Ferguson was appointed secretary.
    And I would like to take this time now to recognize the 
committee, which did a great job. As I call your name, if you 
would stand. Miriam Daley; Jane Willet; Harriet Anderson; Viola 
Penn; Ann Graybell; Myra Ferguson; Cornelia Cobb; Aliene 
Warchak; Bernice Sebring; Sherry Price; Barbara Curtis; Irene 
Sablic; Marilyn Vigen; Deloris Daniels; Trudy Furlanich; Becky 
Lovato; Sunny Narcaroti; Isabel Kirsct; Delphia Huber
    Thank you, ladies. You did a great job. [Applause.]
    The following units were judged to be the best in their 
category for the National VAVS Awards. Group 1, 10 to 50 
members, Mountain Top Unit 29, Maryland. [Applause.]
    Group 11, 51 to 100 members, Morgantown Unit 43, North 
Carolina. [Applause.]
    Group III, 101 to 200 members, Allegheny-Kiski Unit 53, 
Pennsylvania. [Applause.]
    Group IV, 201 members and over, Phoenix Unit 1, Arizona. 
[Applause.]
    And the Thelma Feighner Award goes to Savannah Unit 8, 
Georgia. [Applause.]
    The Committee had one recommendation regarding the point 
grading sheet, to delete the word ``etcetera,'' and replace the 
word ``hours for 30 points.''
    Commander Barbara, I would like to wish you much success in 
your future endeavors.
    Thank you, ladies. [Applause.]
    And I want to thank Maria for doing this to me.
    Member. Madam Chairman gave me permission to speak, Maria, 
but I just all of you to know that our past national commanders 
do continue to work in the DAV Auxiliary. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    Mrs. Nason. This is Aliene Warchak from Georgia, and the 
Savannah unit won the special VAVS Award, the Thelma Feighner 
Award, and they did a fantastic job, donating to the VA 
hospitals. They were too far to travel to the VAMC, but the 
certainly did a wonderful job in supporting the hospitals as 
close to them as possible. Thank you. And you girls did a great 
job. [Applause.]
    Mrs. Aliene Warchak. Well, I know that Savannah does a good 
job and they work very hard. They are 234 miles from the 
nearest VA Center, so they cannot travel to and from the 
Charleston, South Carolina center. Thank you.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, ladies.
    Margaret, are you ready with the Mae Holmes Awards, please?
    Senior Vice-Commander Hass. Thank you, Commander Barbara. 
Is Libby here, our chairman? Here she comes. Okay.
    The Mae Holmes Award is a prestigious award for the very 
best outstanding unit in the four membership categories. Our 
committee worked well together. It's always a hard job, because 
there are so many good reports. But they did their work. And we 
have Chairman Elizabeth Fancher, but by the time the committee 
was over, we were calling her ``Libby.'' This is what is so 
wonderful to serve on these committees at national convention, 
because you renew old acquaintances and you make new friends.
    And so I'd like to welcome Libby to the mike to give our 
awards.
    Mrs. Elizabeth Fancher. Thank you, Margaret.
    Oh, I'm so happy to be up here, I want to tell you. This is 
the first time I've been to a national convention. In fact, 
this is the furthest I've ever been away from home, and I love 
it. [Laughter and applause.] I like going to the boat, too. 
[Laughter.]
    This Mae Holmes report is a very important category, and a 
lot of ladies have worked hard on this, and it was hard for 
them to judge all of these. I want to say what a pleasure that 
it was to have Margaret as our advisor. I've known Margaret for 
a long time from coming to our state convention. She didn't 
remember me too well, but now she's not going to forget me. 
[Laughter.]
    We met in the Oak Alley Room at 2:00 o'clock, July the 
29th, `96. Margaret Hass, our national senior vice-commander, 
was our advisor. We elected Dorothea Campanelli as our 
secretary. And I'd like to call the names of the ones that 
served on this committee, and hold your applause till we're 
finished.
    District 1, Florence Curley; District 2, Betty Nelson; 
District 3, Ann Kelley; District 4, Dorothea Campenelli; 
District 5, Sadie Turner; District 6, Gladys Seda; District 7, 
Grace McLaughlin; District 8, Eunice Eledge; District 9, Amy 
Adcock; District 10, Joann Slotman; District 11, Libby Fancher. 
That's me.
    District 12, Nellie Smithee; District 13, Jan Walters; 
District 14, Annette Bain-Wilson; District 15, Bonita Mitchell; 
District 16, Marie Zamacona; District 17, Susan Miller. I don't 
know what happened to District 18. Barbara Davison never did 
show up. She must have got lost along the way. District 19, 
Denise Vietz; District 20, Clara Lewis; and District 21, Peggy 
Nye. [Applause.]
    I see everybody coming up here with a little envelope. Look 
here what I've got, and I want you to know I'm going to read it 
all to you. [Laughter.]
    National Commander Barbara, National Adjutant Maria, 
national officers, past national commanders, delegates and 
guests of this 74th National Auxiliary Convention: Our Group 
Number I from 10 to 50 members, Flat River 106, Greenville, 
Michigan. [Applause.]
    Group Number II, 51 to a hundred members, W.R. Hold 147, 
Killeen, Texas. [Applause.]
    Group Number III, 101 to 200 members, Allegheny-Kiski 53, 
Arnold, Pennsylvania. [Applause.]
    Group Number IV, 201 members and over, Nob Hill 26, 
Colorado Springs, Colorado. [Applause.]
    And the committee submitted the following recommendations. 
Do not write on reports at state judging. They put their totals 
on there, and then that is confusing. Do not attach Community 
Service, Hospital and VAVS reports to this Mae Holmes report. 
Do make an itemized list if donations are over a thousand 
dollars.
    That is our recommendations.
    Again, I want to thank you all for letting me be on this 
committee, and whoever made me chairman of this committee, I 
thank you 4, 5, 50 times. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. You know, this is one of our Ohio girls, 
and I actually can't believe that this is our shy little Libby. 
[Laughter.]
    Yes, ma'am.
    Mrs. Barbara Davison. I would like to address the Chair. I 
am Barbara Davison, and I was there, and I think the 
secretary's got my name on there. I was at the meeting.
    Commander Hicks. They'll check it. Thank you very much.
    Mrs. Dorothea Campanelli. Excuse me, Madam Commander. The 
slip was not signed at the end of the meeting, and I know I 
checked all the names off when everyone entered, and they were 
all checked off, but at the end when we had the paper signed, 
our signature was not on there. But yes, she was there.
    Commander Hicks. Okay. We will take care of it, and thank 
you very much. I'm sure the ladies apologize for any 
inconvenience.
    Ladies, I think we are ready for some announcements, 
please.
    Adjutant Tedrow: Ladies, of course, you know at 10:00 
o'clock we cut off the Forget-Met-Not Luncheon.
    I also want to inform you, for those that do not know, we 
have her for sale the Revised Auxiliary Manual. If you want to 
go to the registration area, you can purchase it. So I want you 
to be aware of that because, you know, after today, we may not 
have them out there for sale.
    Okay. I want to talk to you about what we collected, what 
we collected yesterday because of your generous donations. On 
Freedom's Foundation, a total of $985 was collected. On 
Hospitalized Veterans Writing Project, a total of $100 was 
collected. On the Service Support Program, $3,255 was 
collected. [Applause.] And on the Education Loan, $4,165.11. 
[Applause.] So it's through the generosity of your donations 
here, and your states and your units. We thank you.
    Tomorrow afternoon, of course, we are going to have a 
Forget-Me-Not Luncheon. Our convention chairman has done a 
terrific job. I'm sure that you're going to be pleased with 
what she does tomorrow. And I ask any of you that had not 
bought tickets, we--Louise is still back there. Okay?
    Thank you.
    One more important item: All the chairmen, all the 
chairmen, you were given folders with all those reports in. We 
want those folders back, so either bring the folders up to the 
stage if you have them in the room, or bring them to the office 
no later than today. We need those folders that you had in the 
meetings.
    Thank you.
    Commander Hicks. Judge Advocate Shelia Allred.
    Judge Advocate Shelia C. Allred. Madam Commander, have we 
addressed all the business for this session?
    Commander Hicks. Yes, ma'am, we have.
    Judge Advocate Allred. May I have your permission to 
address the assembly?
    Commander Hicks. You may.
    Judge Advocate Allred. We are ahead of schedule. Would you 
like to continue this progress? I'm saying continue our 
business but in accordance with the Convention Rules, and get 
out early for the remainder of the day? [Applause.]
    The business having been accomplished, I move we recess for 
the districts to caucus with the representatives that were on 
the Constitution and Bylaws Committee for ten minutes. Further, 
we will then reconvene into the next session for the second 
reading of the Constitution and Bylaws.
    NEC 19th District Esther Westlake. Madam Commander, Esther 
Westlake, Unit 45, Washington. I second that motion.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Esther. Is there any discussion 
on this, please? Ready for the question? All in favor; opposed. 
So carried.
    We will have a ten-minute recess. You need to go into your 
districts and caucus so that the representative that you 
elected to be on your Constitution and Bylaws can fill you in, 
and then we will come back and have a second reading. Thank 
you, ladies.
    [Whereupon, a brief recess was taken.]
    Commander Hicks. Our next session will now come back to 
order, and I'd like Renee Jones, the Constitution and Bylaws 
Committee chairman to come and give the second reading of the 
Bylaws, please.
    Now, this time we will be voting on them, ladies.
    Mrs. Jones. Proposed Constitution and Bylaw amendments 
second reading. Page S-1, Article I, State Organization, 
Section 1, Administration. Delete paragraph and substitute the 
following:

          This state department is organized with the specific consent 
        and recognition of the parent organization and shall be 
        governed by these Standard State Bylaws, State Standing Rules, 
        Supplement to State Bylaws and the National Constitution and 
        Bylaws of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary.

    Rationale: In addition to the Standard State Bylaws, each 
state department is governed by their State Standing Rules.
    I move the adoption of this amendment.
    Commander Hicks. Is there a second?
    NEC 2nd District Dolores U. Robidoux. Madam Chairman, 
Dolores Robidoux, District 2. I second the adoption.
    Commander Hicks. Discussion? All in favor; opposed. 
Carried.
    Mrs. Jones. Page S-11, Article VI, State Committees, 
Section 4, State Standing Committees. Add new Section 4. New 
Section 4 will read:

          In addition to having an elected state Finance Committee and 
        a state Nominating Committee, a state department may have other 
        elected state standing committees. Such committees shall be 
        provided for in their State Standing Rules. These rules shall 
        include the number of members serving on a committee, term/
        terms of office and duties of the committee. Any committee 
        vacancies shall be filled with an appointment made by the state 
        commander and approved by the state Executive Committee.

    Rationale: A standing committee that requires continuity 
shall be an elected committee, since the term of an appointed 
committee cannot exceed that of the appointing power.
    I move the adoption of this amendment.
    Mrs. June Becker. June Becker, District 4, New Jersey, 
seconds the motion.
    Commander Hicks. Is there any discussion? All in favor, 
Aye; opposed, Nay. Carried.
    Mrs. Jones. Since new Section 4 was adopted, old Section 4 
will become Section 5, and old Section 5 will become Section 6. 
I move the adoption of the renumbering of these sections.
    Commander Hicks. Is there a second?
    Mrs. Judy M. Steinhouse. Madam Commander, Judy Steinhouse, 
North Dakota, District 14. I second that motion.
    Commander Hicks. Discussion? All in favor; opposed. 
Carried.
    Mrs. Jones. Page S-14, Article 8, Finances, Section 5, 
State Fund-Raising Project/Projects, Paragraph 2. Delete 
Paragraph 2 and substitute the following:

          All fund-raising projects or activities for the state 
        department must be approved by the Disabled American Veterans 
        state department and the DAV National Executive Committee.

    Rationale: Paragraph 2 is amended in order to agree with 
the DAV National Bylaws.
    I move the adoption of this amendment.
    Commander Hicks. Is there a second?
    Mrs. Andee Silver. Andee Silver, District 5, Pennsylvania. 
I second that motion.
    Commander Hicks. Discussion? All in favor; opposed. 
Carried.
    Mrs. Jones. Page U-3, Article II, Unit Officers, Section 2, 
Elected Officers. Add new paragraph 5. New Paragraph 5 will 
read:

          In the event of the removal of a state Executive 
        Committeewoman from office or her death, resignation or 
        inability to discharge the duties of her office, same shall 
        devolve upon the alternate state Executive Committeewoman. An 
        election shall then be held for the position of alternate state 
        Executive Committeewoman. Elected alternate shall be installed 
        by a proper installing officer.

    Rationale: No provision has been made in the Standard Local 
Unit Bylaws for filing state Executive Committeewoman and 
alternate state Executive Committeewoman vacancies. New 
paragraph 5 would provide this procedure.
    I move the adoption of this amendment.
    Commander Hicks. Is there a second?
    Mrs. Susan M. Henry. Susan Henry, Tennessee, Unit 116. I 
second this motion.
    Commander Hicks. Is there any discussion? All in favor; 
opposed. Carried.
    Mrs. Jones. Page U-12, Article VII, Unit Finance and Dues, 
Section 3, Fund-Raising Project/Projects. Delete third 
paragraph of Section 3 and substitute the following:

          Where no commissions are to be paid, no prior approval shall 
        be required from the DAV department Executive Committee when 
        the gross receipts will be less than $5,000; provided, however, 
        that advance notice of 30 days to the DAV state department 
        shall be required on all such finance-raising activity.

    Rationale: Paragraph 3 is amended in order to agree with 
the DAV National Bylaws.
    I move the adoption of this amendment.
    Commander Hicks. Is there a second?
    Mrs. Joanne Laws. Joanne Laws, Kentucky 19. I second the 
motion.
    Commander Hicks. Is there any discussion? All in favor; 
opposed. Motion carried.
    Mrs. Jones. I would like to recognize those committee 
members who served. When I call your name, please stand and 
please hold your applause until the end. District 1, Lillian 
Van Galen; District 2, Dolores Robidoux; District 3, Ann Young; 
District 4, June Becker; District 5, Rhea Lynn; District 6, 
Ardalia Taylor; District 7, Lucille McCarthy; District 8, Susan 
Henry; District 10, Addie White; District 11, Joyce Hutchinson; 
District 12, Bernie Errett; District 13, Joanne Laws; District 
14, Judy Steinhouse; District 15, Rose Schilpp; District 16, 
Joan Turbeville; District 17, Jean Jackson; District 18, 
Shirley Kosisky; District 19, Esther Westlake; District 20, 
Betty Hall; and District 21, Loneita Shoemaker; and our advisor 
was Sheila Allred.
    Thank you. [Applause]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Renee. And thanks to each of 
you who serve on that committee.
    Now we're going to have Maria give announcements, please.
    Adjutant Tedrow. Just a couple of brief announcements, but 
isn't it nice to know that after the raffle's over, you can 
leave for the rest of the day? Isn't that great? [Applause.]
    I was asked to repeat the amounts of the donations, and I 
will repeat them one more time. Freedom's Foundation received 
$985. Service Support received $3,255. Ed. Loan received 
$4,165.11. Hospitalized Veterans Writing Project received $100.
    I am to tell you that Junior Activities Chairman Linda 
Trulio would like all of you to remember that today from 4:00 
to 6:00 all the juniors will assemble in Room 2212 for a Junior 
Mardi Gras, and they'd like you to be there. That's Room 2212 
from 4:00 to 6:00. So show them your support. And that's the 
Junior Mardi Gras.
    And I believe, Madam Commander--is Jacki Fossiano in the 
room? Madam Commander, I believe Jacki Fossiano would like to 
make a presentation.
    NEC 1st District Jacqueline H. Fossiano. Yesterday we had a 
luncheon for the Nor'easter, and District 1 was very 
supportive, gave me lots of money to work with, and we had 
money left over, and District 1 decided that they wanted to 
give what was left to the Service Fund. So here you are, Maria. 
This is for you.
    Then another very nice surprise. When I went to pay the 
bill for the luncheon, Beth Tussa, the woman who is in charge, 
said, ``You had said you wanted so many seats, and that's all I 
charged you for.'' So I have all this money left, and it's 
going to the Service Fund. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you to all of the Nor'easters. Thank 
you so much.
    Don't forget the Forget-Me-Not Luncheon tomorrow ladies.
    And I believe we can recess now for the drawings.
    Adjutant Tedrow. This is a correction, ladies. I got one 
that said ``Meet in 2212'' for the Junior Mardi Gras, but 
that's on the juniors meet in 2212. So the juniors are to meet 
in 2212, and they will be marching through the lobby from 4:00 
to 6:00. Is that correct? Okay. So they will be marching 
through the lobby from 4:00 to 6:00 celebrating Junior Mardi 
Gras. Okay?
    Thank you.
    Commander Hicks. See you either at the luncheon or on 
Thursday morning. Have a good afternoon.
    [Whereupon, the meeting recessed at 11:30 o'clock a.m., 
July 30, 1996.]

                         FINAL BUSINESS SESSION

                             August 1, 1996

    The Final Business Session of the Disabled American 
Veterans Auxiliary 74th National Convention convened in the 
Napoleon Room of the New Orleans Hilton Riverside, New Orleans, 
Louisiana, Thursday morning, August 1, 1996, and was called to 
order at 9:00 o'clock a.m. by Commander Barbara L. Hicks.
    Commander Barbara L. Hicks. Ladies, I'd like to call the 
Final Session of our convention to order, please.
    Would Carol Gray please lead us in an opening prayer?
    Chaplain Gray. Would you all join hands? O God, Our Father, 
You have brought us safely through the night, and we thank You 
for giving us one more day to do the work that must be done. We 
ask that you watch over all the defenders of freedom in the 
world. Until people are free, there cannot be peace so * * *
    [Singing of, ``Let There Be Peace on Earth.'']
    Chaplain Gray. Amen.
    Commander Hicks. And now our National Americanism Chairman 
Paula Raymond will lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance, Please.
    [Pledge of Allegiance.]
    Commander Hicks. Dorothy, may we please have the final 
Credentials report?
    Member. Good morning. Madam Commander, this is the true 
Credentials reports as of July 31st, 1996. The following units 
have not yet been cleared for voting. A unit representative 
must report to the Auxiliary Headquarters Office in the 
Eglinton and Winton Room on the second floor. Mississippi 54; 
West Virginia 8; Puerto Rico 6; Hawaii 1.
    The units registered, total units registered, 336; total 
departments registered, 37; being a total of 373. Delegates 
registered, 647; alternates registered, 40; guests, 93; a total 
of 780. Total unit votes, 2,118; total department votes, 37; 
national officers, 8; past national commanders, 12; grand total 
votes, 2,175.
    I move for acceptance of this report as read.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Dorothy. Is there a second to 
this, please?
    Mrs. Marianne Piekielniak. Marianne Piekielniak, Unit 2, 
Virginia. I second the motion.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you. All in favor; opposed. Motion 
carried.
    Ladies, I believe you probably have heard this brought up 
many times, but we are going to do this again this morning. 
Janet, would you please join me up here, Janet Galian, the 
treasurer of the organization I'm about to speak of.
    There is a group that has been formed 20 some years. It's 
known as SONCO, and it is Spouses of Past National Commanders 
Organization. This group every time there is a death, makes a 
presentation if it is a death of a spouse, and I have the honor 
as a member of this organization, I have been asked to present 
a donation to our National Educational Loan Fund in memory of 
L. Kit Seal Feighner, and Jack is a member of our organization.
    Mrs. Janet Galian. Also, on behalf of SONCO, these are 
contributions from individual members. A donation was made from 
Jack Feighner and from Phyllis Greaney and Joe Maldet, and this 
money is to be used also for the Educational Loan Fund in 
memory of Kit Seal from SONCO. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Janet.
    Mrs. Elizabeth Fancher. Madam Commander, Libby Fancher from 
Ohio. May I approach the podium?
    Commander Hicks. Yes, ma'am.
    Mrs. Fancher. I don't want to get me in trouble. The 
delegates of Ohio would also like to make a donation to the 
Educational Loan Fund in memory of Kit Feighner that we loved 
so much. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Having heard the final Credentials report, 
I wish to thank the members of the Nominating Committee for 
their port effort and time. I would like at this time to 
discharge the Nominating Committee and all other convention 
committees. Would the chairman of the Nominating Committee 
please come forward, Louise Rapisand from Texas.
    Ladies, this is a report of the committee, and there's no 
action to be taken at this time on it.
    Mrs. Louise M. Rapisand. Delegates, good morning to you all 
from the eyes of Texas. Before I start to read the report, I 
would like to tell you that this has to be the finest committee 
that I have ever served on, and, as some of you know, I've 
served several years on the Nominating Committee, and to get 21 
women to be in a room and to be as congenial as these 21, it 
was the neatest blend of minds and wit and love that I have 
experienced in a long time. And I do want to thank all of them. 
We had an excellent advisor, Jane Troutman, our immediate PNC, 
and she just was wonderful, because she knew everything that we 
didn't know.
    And I just thought that you all should know that this time, 
we finished in record time at 4:30 on Tuesday. There was no 
Wednesday morning last-minute deliberations. So I think that I 
would like to read the committee first and have them stand and 
let you acknowledge that they did a fantastic job.
    From District 1, Phyllis Greaney; District 2--would you 
stand when I call your name? District 2, Jeanne Le Porte; 
District 3, Grace Boland; 4, Frances Banghardt; 5, Andee 
Silver; 6, Mary Parrish; 7, Delores Roussey; 8, Virginia 
Mitchell; 9, Vicky Grier; 10, Gloria Boozer; 11, Grace Nagel. 
I'm sorry. That was Edith Cottrill, because we had a change 
there.
    District 12 was Nelda Wilson; 13, Hannelore Ciccarelli; 14, 
Katherine Pearson; 15, Dorothy Van Hoy; 16, Melba Morgan; 17, 
Florence Valgardson; 18, Donna Sellers; 19, Kathryn Wiley; 20 
was Louise Rapisand; and 21, Gertrude Tidwell; advisor, Jane 
Troutman. And I think they did wonders. [Applause.]
    The Nominating Committee of the Disabled American Veterans 
Auxiliary held their first meeting on Monday, July 29th, 1996 
in the Norwich Room at the New Orleans Riverside Hilton. We are 
pleased to submit the following slate for your consideration to 
serve as the 1996-97 officers:
    Commander, Margaret Hass from North Dakota [applause]; 
senior vice-commander, Evelynne Dunn from Nevada [applause]; 
1st junior vice-commander, Evelyn Dorsey from Washington, D.C. 
[applause]; 2nd junior vice-commander, Paula Raymond from 
Illinois [applause]; 3rd junior vice-commander, Phyllis Novak 
from New York [applause]; and 4th junior vice-commander, Esther 
Westlake from Washington. [Applause.]
    Chaplain, Carol Gray, Michigan [applause]; and judge 
advocate, Shelia Allred, North Carolina. [Applause.]
    The secretary who served on the committee was Kathryn 
Wiley, District 19, I think Kathryn--would you stand? There she 
is in the back. Thanks, Kathryn. You did a great job. 
[Applause.]
    And this is submitted by Chairman Louise Rapisand and 
Advisor Jane Troutman.
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Louise and committee.
    At this time, I would like all officers to please leave the 
podium and go back to your respective districts for the purpose 
of election of officers.
    I'd like to appoint three tellers at this time to approach 
the platform: Jan Bennett, Nevada; Gwen McCracken, Michigan; 
and Delores Roussey, Florida, please.
    Adjutant Tedrow. Jeanne Le Porte, would you act as a 
teller, please? Could you come up here and act as a teller, 
please?
    Commander Hicks. Elaine Majors, would you please be a 
teller? Thank you. And later you'll see where the other two 
ladies couldn't.
    Okay, ladies, you have heard the report to the Committee on 
Nominations. Margaret Hass has been nominated by the committee 
for the office of national commander. Are there any other 
nominations?
    Mrs. Judith Steinhouse. Madam Commander, Judy Steinhouse, 
United Number 8, North Dakota. May I approach the podium?
    Commander Hicks. Yes, ma'am.
    Mrs. Steinhouse. Madam Commander Barbara, National Adjutant 
Maria, past national commanders, delegates and guests: I am 
proud to second the nomination of Margaret Hass for the office 
of national commander of the Disabled American Veterans 
Auxiliary. Margaret is a life member of Minot Unit Number 4 in 
North Dakota and lives in Bowbells with her husband, Vic, a 
disabled American veteran who served in the Navy during World 
War II. They have three children and seven grandchildren.
    Margaret is very active in her unit, even though she has to 
travel 68 miles for the meetings. Her two daughters and two of 
her granddaughters are life members in Minot Number 4. The two 
younger granddaughters are junior members. Vic's two sisters 
and three nieces bring the total number of family supporters in 
her unit to 12.
    She has served as Department of North Dakota commander, 
National Executive Committeewoman for District 14, National 
History chairman, Community Service, Americanism, Legislation 
and Mae Holmes chairman. She served two years as national 
chaplain, national 4th, 3rd and 2nd junior vice-commanders and 
senior vice.
    As a member of the Foundation Board of the North Dakota 
Lisbon's Veterans Home, she has another excellent opportunity 
to serve the veterans she loves so much.
    I am pleased and proud to second the nomination of Margaret 
Hass for the office of national commander. Thank you. 
[Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Are there any other nominations? Hearing 
none, I declare the nominations closed for the office of 
national commander. All those in favor of Margaret Hass for the 
office of national commander, signify by saying Aye; opposed. 
Congratulations. [Applause.]
    Congratulations, Margaret. You've just been elected 
national commander. [Applause.]
    Evelynne Dunn has been nominated by the committee for the 
office of national senior vice-commander. Are there any other 
nominations?
    NEC 18th District Janet W. Bennett. Madam commander, Janet 
Bennett, Unit 7, Carson City, Nevada. May I approach the 
podium, please?
    Commander Hicks. Yes, ma'am.
    NEC Bennett. National Commander Barbara, National Adjutant 
Maria, national officers, past national officers, members and 
guests of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary. I am proud 
to second the nomination of Evelynne Dunn from the State of 
Nevada, the silver state, for the office of national senior 
vice-commander for the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary for 
the year 1996 and '97.
    Evelynne is eligible through her late husband, Fred, who 
was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge in World War II, and 
also through her late son, Monty, who was a Vietnam veteran. 
Evelynne is a charter and life member of Sunrise Mountain Unit 
13 in Las Vegas, and has advanced through all the offices of 
the unit level and has been unit commander twice.
    Currently she is serving as state Executive Committeewoman. 
On the state level, Evelynne has held all elective and many 
appointed offices, serving as state commander in 1986 and '87. 
She was instrumental in organizing the Women Helping Women 
Seminar in Las Vegas. Evelynne has conducted many Auxiliary 
workshops.
    On the national level, Evelynne has served on the Mae 
Holmes and the Constitution and Bylaws Committee. Evelynne has 
served as co-chairman of the 1989 and '95 National Convention 
in Las Vegas. Evelynne was the 18th District National Executive 
Committeewoman for the years 1990 and '92, serving on the 
National Finance Committee as chairman of this committee in 
1991 and '92. In the years of 1992 and '93, she served as 
national chaplain with dignity, respect and honor that the 
office deserves. Evelynne served as 3rd junior vice-commander 
for the year 1993 and '94, and was Americanism chairman. She 
also served as national 1st junior vice-commander and was the 
Membership chairman for the years 1994-95, 1995 and '96.
    Evelynne is a volunteer at the Las Vegas Medical Center, 
serving coffee and doughnuts to veterans several times a month. 
As a driver for the DAV Transportation Network, she transports 
veterans to the hospital appointments in California, a round 
trip of 470 miles. Evelynne is the first to volunteer when 
someone is needed, working with dignity, enthusiasm and 
compassion, which shows how much she enjoys helping others.
    As a past state commander, on behalf of the delegation and 
the membership of the great silver state of Nevada and the 18th 
District, I am honored to second the nomination of Evelynne 
Dunn for the office of national senior vice-commander for the 
years 1996 and '97. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you, Jan.
    Are there any other nominations? Hearing none, I declare 
the nominations closed for the office of national senior vice-
commander. All those in favor of Evelynne Dunn for the office 
of national senior vice-commander, signify by saying Aye; those 
opposed. The Ayes have it, and Evelynne Dunn has been elected. 
[Applause.]
    Evelyn Dorsey has been nominated by the committee for the 
office of national 1st junior vice-commander. Are there any 
other nominations?
    Ms. Regina Coates. Madam Commander, Regina Coates, Federal 
Unit 1, Washington, D.C. May I approach the podium?
    Commander Hicks. Yes, ma'am.
    Ms. Coates. Good morning. It gives me great honor to 
nominate my grandmother, Evelyn Dorsey, as national 1st junior 
vice-commander. First, I will tell you the business part, the 
stuff I'm supposed to tell you. Then I'll tell you a little 
mushy stuff. [Laughter.]
    Okay. Evelyn Dorsey has been a life member of the DAV 
Auxiliary since 1976, and is eligible for membership through 
her late husband, Garnett, my grandfather. A member of Federal 
Unit 1, Washington, D.C., she has held most unit officer 
positions, including commander, senior, junior vice-commander 
and adjutant, and served on various committees.
    On the state department level, she has served as treasurer 
and state commander and is currently adjutant-treasurer.
    At the national level, she has served as National Executive 
Committeewoman for the 6th District and is chairman of the 
National Finance Committee. Since being elected a national 
junior vice-commander, she has chaired the Community Service 
Program and is currently National Legislative chairman.
    A native Washingtonian, Evelyn received her formal 
education in the nation's capital. For over 35 years, she was 
employed, retired by the U.S. Army Materiel Command and the 
D.C. Department of Human Services. She devotes much of her time 
and energy to church, Auxiliary and community activities. She 
is on the Board of Directors of the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA; the 
Board of Directors of the Starter Baptist Home; a member of the 
Mayor's Committee on Persons With Disabilities; and chairman of 
the Board of Trustees at our church.
    She is the proud mother of four and has nine grandchildren, 
one plus me. One is eight plus me. [Laughter.]
    I'm not a mushy person, so I don't tell my grandmother how 
proud I am of her, but there's a part of a song that really 
fits her. It says something like, ``Did you ever know you were 
my hero? You're everything that I would like to be. I can fly 
higher than the eagle, because you're the wind beneath my 
wings.''
    Anything that I try to do or want to do, my grandmother's 
always there. She's a sweet lady not only here, but all the 
time, 24, 7, 365, and I love her very much. And it gives me 
great honor to second the nomination as a 1st national junior 
vice-commander. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Are there any other nominations? Hearing 
none, I declare the nominations closed for the office of 
national 1st junior vice-commander. All those in favor of 
Evelyn Dorsey for the office of national 1st junior vice-
commander, signify by saying Aye; those opposed. The Ayes have 
it, and Evelyn Dorsey has been elected to the office of 
national 1st junior vice-commander. [Applause.]
    Paula Raymond has been nominated by the committee for the 
office of national 2nd junior vice-commander. Are there any 
other nominations?
    Ms. Karen S. Eccles. Madam Commander, I am Karen Eccles, 
Alton Unit 3, Illinois. May I approach the podium, please?
    Commander Hicks. Yes, ma'am.
    Ms. Eccles. Commander Barbara, national officers, past 
national commanders, delegates and alternates and guests here 
assembled: On behalf of the State of Illinois and the 12th 
District, I am both pleased and proud to second the nomination 
for Paula Raymond for the office of national 2nd junior vice-
commander.
    Paula is a life member of Alton Unit 3 in Illinois. She has 
served all offices of her local unit and State Department of 
Illinois. She is presently serving as your national 3rd junior 
vice-commander, and with this, Americanism chairman.
    Paula is employed as an administrative assistant in Family 
Service and Visiting Nurses Association. She has a son, Darren, 
serving in the U.S. Navy in his fourth year of a six-year 
enlistment. She has a daughter, Karen, that's me. [Laughter.] 
And I have been a member of the organization since I was hours 
old, and just this year became a senior member. [Applause.]
    Paula's eligibility is through her father, a World War II 
veteran. She lives with here husband, Byron, and me, and we 
have heard, ``I am home,'' and ``I am leaving'' quite often 
this year as she traveled with her work and for the DAV 
Auxiliary on local, state, district and national levels.
    We of the 12th District in the State of Illinois are proud 
of Paula, and we feel that she has served us exceptionally well 
in the past and will continue to do so with honor and 
distinction. I stand here very proud and happy to second the 
nomination of Paula Raymond for national 2nd junior vice-
commander. Thank you. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Are there any other nominations? Hearing 
none, I declare the nominations closed for the office of 
national 2nd junior vice-commander. All those in favor of Paula 
Raymond for the office of national 2nd junior vice-commander, 
signify by saying Aye; those opposed. The Ayes have it, and 
Paula Raymond has been elected to the office of 2nd junior 
vice. [Applause.]
    Phyllis Novak has been nominated by the committee for the 
office of national 3rd junior vice-commander. Are there any 
other nominations?
    Mrs. LePorte. Madam Commander, Jeanne LePorte, Department 
of New York, may I approach the podium?
    Commander Hicks. Yes, ma'am.
    Mrs. LePorte. Madam Commander Barbara, National Adjutant 
Maria, national officers, PNCs, delegates, members and guests: 
It is with extreme pleasure that I stand before you to second 
the nomination of our past state commander, Phyllis Novak.
    You have seen and participated in her dynamic History and 
Community Service Seminars at our National Fall Conferences. 
You have read her eye-catching inserts in our national 
mailings. Her infectious enthusiasm for the Disabled American 
Veterans Auxiliary is obvious at our national conventions.
    We in the Empire State have benefited from her many ideas, 
the most outstanding enabling us to make quota for the first 
time in many years. She continues to serve the New York State 
Department, having been elected to the Finance Committee in our 
June convention.
    We in the Department of New York are proud of the way 
Phyllis has served as national 4th junior vice-commander. We 
are sure you will agree with us and the Nominating Committee 
that Phyllis Novak is the candidate for national 3rd junior 
vice-commander. Thank you. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Are there any other nominations? Hearing 
none, I declare the nominations closed for the office of 
national 3rd junior vice-commander. All those in favor of 
Phyllis Novak for the office of national 3rd junior vice-
commander, signify by saying Aye; opposed. The Ayes have it, 
and Phyllis Novak has been elected to the office of national 
3rd junior vice-commander. [Applause.]
    Would your please stand, Phyllis? Thank you.
    Ester Westlake has been nominated by the committee for the 
office of national 4th junior vice-commander. Are there any 
other nominations?
    Mrs. Florence Valgardson. Florence Valgardson, past 
national commander. May I approach the podium?
    Commander Hicks. Yes, ma'am.
    Mrs. Valgardson. National Commander Barbara, Maria and 
delegates to this convention: It is with great pleasure that I 
second the nomination of Esther Westlake for the position of 
the national 4th junior vice-commander for 1996-97.
    Esther is a life member, and she joined the DAVA in 1980 
through her father, who is a World War II veteran, who died of 
his service-connected disabilities. Her husband, Dale, and her 
five brothers and a sister are also disabled American veterans.
    As an active member, she has served as unit junior vice-
commander, commander, five years as treasurer, two years as the 
adjutant, and as chairman of all the committees. She has also 
served as district senior vice-commander and commander, state 
senior vice-commander and state commander, three years as judge 
advocate, and two years as the adjutant, and is presently on 
the state Finance Committee.
    Esther served as the deputy VAVS representative for two 
years before becoming a VAVS representative at the Spokane VA 
Medical Center, and she is presently the deputy.
    As an employee of the Department of Washington, the DAV, 
Esther is the hospital service coordinator and department 
service officer at the Spokane VA Medical Center. She serves on 
the Female Veterans Advisory Board, Native American Veterans 
Advisory Board, and Congressman George Nethercutt's Veterans 
Advisory Board. As a member of the Executive Board of the 
Inland Empire Allied Veterans Association, she is active in the 
homeless veterans outreach.
    Esther has just completed one year as the 19th District 
National Executive Committeewoman. She has attended three 
National Fall Conferences and eight National Conventions. She 
has served on the National Convention Committee for 
Americanism, Legislation and five times on the National 
Constitution and Bylaws Committee. In 1995, she was the 
National Constitution and Bylaws Convention Committee chairman.
    Esther is married to a service-connected disabled Korean 
Era veteran, and they have eight children between the two of 
them. The youngest are ages 13 and 15, which are still at home. 
Her husband is active in the parent organization on the local 
and the state level, and in their free time--they should have a 
little bit, I would imagine--Dale and Esther are active in two 
bowling leagues.
    It's with great pride and great honor that I second this 
nomination, as she has served the Auxiliary well, and she will 
continue to do so on the national level as your 4th junior 
vice-commander. Thank you. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Are there any other nominations? Hearing 
none, I declare the nominations closed for the office of 
national 4th junior vice-commander. All those in favor of 
Esther Westlake for the office of 4th junior vice-commander, 
signify by saying Aye; opposed. The Ayes have it, and Esther 
Westlake has been elected to the office of national 4th junior 
vice-commander. [Applause.]
    Carol Gray has been nominated by the committee for the 
office of national chaplain. Are there any other nominations?
    Mrs. Betty Benzing. Madam Chairman, Betty Benzing, State of 
Michigan commander. May I approach the podium, please?
    Commander Hicks. Yes, ma'am.
    Mrs. Benzing. National Commander Barbara, National Adjutant 
Maria, national officers, past national commanders, delegates 
and guests: It is my pleasure to second the nomination of Carol 
Gray for national chaplain. Eligibility is through her late 
grandfather, Andrew Biddell.
    Carol is a life member of Wood Tazelaar Number 11, where 
she started as a junior member and now serves as junior vice-
commander and Community Service chairman. Carol has held all 
unit offices and many chairmanships over the years. On the 
state level, she served as chaplain for nine years before going 
through the chairs and becoming commander 1986-87. She was then 
state adjutant for the next seven years.
    During her 20 years as a state officer, she was also 
History chairman nine times. Several of those books received 
national awards. She is now my state Standing Rules Committee 
chairman and VAVS deputy at the Outpatient Clinic in Grand 
Rapids.
    She has attended many Fall Conferences. This is her tenth 
National Convention, and she was National History chairman for 
two years and has served on History, Constitution and Bylaws 
and Nominating Committees. She was national chaplain last year, 
'95-96.
    Carol and her husband, Ken, have three children. Her 
daughter is also a life member. She has five grandsons, but 
Number 1 granddaughter, Samantha, is a junior member.
    She has a loving spirit and will, as usual, be an asset to 
our organization. Our Great Lakes State of Michigan gives our 
support to her, and I thank you very much. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Are there any other nominations? Hearing 
none, I declare the nominations closed for the office of 
national chaplain. All those in favor of Carol Gray for the 
office of national chaplain, signify by saying Aye; opposed. 
The Ayes have it, and Carol Gray has been elected to the office 
of national chaplain. [Applause.]
    Shelia Allred has been nominated by the committee for the 
office of national judge advocate. Are there any other 
nominations?
    Immediate Past National Commander Jane Troutman. Madam 
Commander, Jane Troutman, past national commander. May I 
approach the podium?
    Commander Hicks. Yes, ma'am.
    Immediate Past National Commander Troutman. National 
Commander, national officers, past national commanders, 
delegates and guests: On behalf of the State of North Carolina, 
I am very proud to read the seconding speech for Shelia C. 
Allred for the office of national judge advocate based on her 
qualifications and many years of experience as a member and 
leader of this organization.
    Shelia first became a member of the Junior Auxiliary at age 
nine, and has remained an active and productive member. She has 
attended 68 state conventions throughout the United States and 
22 National Fall Conferences. Shelia is a life member of 
Concord Unit 27 and has held all local unit offices. On the 
state level, she has served as state junior and senior vice-
commander, state commander for one year and five months, also 
state judge advocate nine years, state adjutant for the 
Department of North Carolina for five years.
    Shelia was National Executive Committeewoman for the 
National 5th District for two years. She has served on various 
committees during her 21 National Conventions she has attended, 
including the National Finance Committee for three years. She 
served as national junior vice-commander, National Community 
Service chairman, national 3rd junior vice-commander, National 
Americanism chairman, national 2nd junior vice-commander, 
National Legislative chairman, national 1st junior vice-
commander, National Membership chairman, National Constitution 
and Bylaws advisor, national senior vice-commander, advisor to 
the Mae Holmes Committee.
    Shelia was also elected as National Auxiliary commander for 
the 1989 Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, and has just 
completed her fourth term as national judge advocate.
    Shelia is president of Allco Research and Consultants of 
North Carolina. She holds membership in the American Legion 
Auxiliary and is a charter member of the American 
Businesswomen's Association. She's active in the community with 
``A History in the Making'', the North Carolina Museum of 
History Association, a member of the National and North 
Carolina Genealogy Societies and a past member of the Board of 
Trustees of the Greater Piedmont Chapter of the National Sudden 
Infant Death Syndrome.
    Shelia is a graduate of the Cabarrus County School System 
and Rowan County Community College. She attended the University 
of North Carolina and holds a certificate in early childhood 
development. She also holds a certificate in training on 
effective speaking and human relations. She also instructed as 
a graduate assistant at the Dale Carnegie Association.
    For Shelia, the Disabled American Veterans is really a 
family organization. Her mother is a past state commander. Her 
husband, Jim, served two terms as department commander and is 
National Executive Committeeman for the 9th District. Their 
daughter, Tara Dahle is a life member of the Auxiliary, and 
presently serves as state Junior Activities chairman for North 
Carolina.
    Shelia has one granddaughter, Brittany Michaela, who has 
been a Junior Auxiliary member since birth.
    An article was recently written about Shelia for a 
nonprofit world newspaper by the DAV National Communications 
Director Tom Keller. This article was accepted for publication 
by the Society for Nonprofit Organizations. Tom was quoted as 
saying, ``Shelia was the kind of leader that speech writers 
dream about, because she's not afraid to say what's in her 
heart.''
    Shelia's life and work enfolds a record of achievement. 
This was obtained because of her devotion and dedication to 
you, the members of this organization. If elected again, Shelia 
will again fulfill her obligations as national judge advocate 
with knowledge, dedication, honor and dignity.
    It is an honor and a personal privilege for me to second 
the nomination of my best friend, Shelia C. Allred, for the 
office of national judge advocate. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Are there any other nominations? Hearing 
none, I declare the nominations closed for the office of 
national judge advocate. All those in favor of Shelia Allred 
for the office of national judge advocate, signify by saying 
Aye; opposed. The Ayes have it, and Shelia Allred has been 
elected to the office of national judge advocate. [Applause.]
    The election having been completed, will all the officers 
return to their former stations on the podium, please?
    Would you come to the podium for the purpose of introducing 
the pages and the National Executive Committee, please?
    While the national sergeant-at-arms is doing this, I would 
like to personally thank you for all that you have added to our 
convention with your lovely, lovely music. [Applause.]
    I'm sorry, I'd like to dismiss all the convention 
committees at this time, please. [Applause.]
    Member. Commander Barbara, I just wanted to say that I am 
so pleased to be here, and I want to thank all of those people 
who were responsible for bringing me up here and asking me, and 
I just love you all, and thank you. And I hope we see you 
again. [Applause.]
    Mrs. Donna Horton. National Commander Barbara, national 
officers, past national commanders, delegates and guests of the 
Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary 74th Convention: I'd like 
to thank you, Barb, for appointing me as national sergeant-at-
arms. It has been an honor to serve in this position.
    First, I'd like to introduce the personal pages. Margaret 
Hass's personal page is Miriam Kiser. Evelynne Dunn's personal 
page is Helen Parcelle. Evelyn Dorsey's page is her 
granddaughter, Regina Coates. Paula Raymond's page is her 
daughter, Karen Eccles. Phyllis Novak's page is Betty Nelson. 
Shelia Allred's page is Renee Jones. Carol Gray's page is Betty 
Benzing. [Applause.]
    At this time, I'd like all the color bearers and banner 
bearers to stand and be recognized. You did an excellent job 
when you brought our Colors in. [Applause.] Thank you, all of 
you.
    The NECs that served as pages were: District 1, Jacqueline 
Fossiano; District 2, Betty Nelson; District 3, Grace Boland; 
District 4, Arline Phillips. She was here, but she had to leave 
early because she's going home to celebrate here 50th wedding 
anniversary. So Beatrice Albanese from District 4 has stepped 
in for her. Thank you.
    District 5 is E. Jimi Hayes; District 6, Mildred Velazquez; 
District 7, Grace McLaughlin; District 8, Vernice Eunice; 
District 9, Vicky Grier; District 10, Zona McNeal; District 11, 
Jane Wood; District 12, Zona Schalow; District 13, Esther 
Houston; District 14, Annette Bain-Wilson; District 15, Delitha 
``Dee'' Staples; District 16, Vera Davis Flatow; District 17, 
Dorothy Dudoich; District 18, Janet Bennett.
    Until today, District 19 was Esther Westlake, but since she 
was running for--she is 4th junior vice, Kathryn Wiley has 
stepped in her place. Thank you. District 20 is Ann Hester. And 
District 21 is Gertrude Tidwell. [Applause.]
    And now it's hard to say it to these kids. They have been 
great. We also had some juniors that acted as our pages. We had 
Angela Morales from New Jersey; Sarah Ann Coursey, she's from 
Arizona; Erin Murray from Nevada; Jenny LeMars from 
Mississippi; and my granddaughter, Nicole. Thank you, girls for 
taking part, and you are the future of our Auxiliary. Thank 
you, all of you. [Applause.]
    Now last, but by no means least, are the pages for our 
national commander. They did a great job taking care of our 
national commander through the whole year. They're Diane Akers, 
please stand, Diane. Diane's leaving today. Virginia 
Merrifield, who has really been my right hand. Without her, I 
don't know how I would have done this either. And Jackie Hicks-
Sayre, Barbara Hicks' daughter. [Applause.]
    I just want to thank all of you for all your help. Thanks. 
[Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. I personally again would like to thank 
each and every one of them. They've done so much work. Just 
because they're running up and down and changing back and forth 
doesn't mean when they're in the back of the room, they're just 
sitting there. They're running errands, and they're doing a 
lot, and we really do appreciate all of them, including our 
beautiful little juniors. [Applause.]
    Donna, you too, have done a very good job as sergeant-at-
arms. Thank you so very much. [Applause.]
    On Tuesday, we had our little quota kickoff, fun time, 
whatever. I'd like to thank the Department of New Jersey for 
that. I really appreciated them putting them together. Thank 
you. [Applause.] Would New Jersey stand, please? Thanks, 
ladies.
    And now I want to thank everyone who has made my term so 
rewarding and fantastic. That is one of my new words: 
fantastic! Everything this year has gone that way. My junior 
officers, for dedicating so much of their time to attend 
conferences and other department conventions nationwide on my 
behalf; the past national commanders for their wise counsel, 
unbound energy, love and dedication to our Auxiliary; to the 
National Auxiliary staff for the work they perform on behalf of 
us day after day; to my good friend, our national adjutant, 
Maria Tedrow. Maria, thank you for your expertise, your 
guidance, your willingness to help in every possible way.
    To all department and unit members who have sent cards, 
photographs, notes, gifts, telephone calls, your hospitality, 
smiles, friendship and love; to the great Department of Ohio 
and to my unit, Champaign County Unit 31 for your love and 
support; to my personal pages for their tremendous work.
    Each and every one of us has someone that we're really 
close to and that we really count on. I have a lady that it 
didn't matter what time of day I called her, what it was, she'd 
say, ``Settle down, Barb. Now, let's talk this through. We can 
do this.'' Or she would say, ``I don't think that word sounds 
right in there. We need to make that plural. When you've got 
singular and plural, let's get this both in the same context.''
    Whether it's taking me to the airport, opening her home to 
me many hours--in Florida, I've stayed with her--Grace Nagel, 
you are absolutely one of the truest friends anyone could ever 
have, and I love you so much. [Applause.]
    To my lovely daughter, Jacki, your support, encouragement, 
criticism have meant more than you will ever know. You are my 
daughter, you are my friend, and I love you, sweetheart. 
[Applause.] And the mother of my three beautiful 
granddaughters, Nicole, Tiffany and Megan.
    To my handsome son, Jeffrey, my biggest supporter, all six 
foot three inches of him, who has encouraged me for so long, 
even though he couldn't be here today I love him very much, 
too.
    Thank you so much for my wonderful, wonderful year. It's 
memories that I shall cherish for the rest of my life. 
[Applause.]
    Thank you, each and every one, ladies. Thank you so much. 
What a beautiful family to have, our DAV Auxiliary family.
    The national adjutant will now call the roll of the newly 
elected National Executive Committeewomen and their alternates. 
As your name is called, please come forward for the purpose of 
installation.
    Adjutant Tedrow. As National Commander Barbara Hicks just 
explained, only the newly elected NECs and alternates will be 
called down front to be installed, because the other ones were 
installed last year, and you do serve a two-year term.
    From District 2, we have Dolores Robidoux and Jeanne Le 
Porte. Would you please come down front? From District 4, 
Beatrice Albanese and Florence Kehne is the alternate. From 
District 6, Mildred Velazquez is the NEC, and Neva Langston is 
the alternate. From District 8, Elaine Majors is the NEC, and 
Dorothy Pearce is her alternate. From District 10, Gwen 
McCracken is the NEC, and Kathy Drako is her alternate.
    From District 12, Beraldine Errett is the NEC, and Nellie 
Smithee, who just happens to be Paula Raymond's mother, is the 
alternate. From District 14, Sharon Kramer is the NEC, and 
Sheila Champeau is the alternate. From District 16, we have 
Alma Fowlkes as the NEC, and Dolores Wingett is the alternate. 
From District 18, Joan Fletcher is the NEC, and Ann Jones is 
the alternate. And we had a change in District 19, and at this 
time in District 19, Kathryn Wiley is the NEC and Bea Puleo is 
the alternate. From District 20, June Bradford is the NEC, and 
Joyce Humes is her alternate.
    Please come down front for the purpose of installation, and 
then after that we will have the installation of the national 
officers.
    Commander Hicks. You are requested to remain silent during 
the ceremony of installation.
    As newly elected National Executive Committeewomen and 
alternates, are you willing to assume the oath of your office?
    [Response of, ``I am.'']
    Commander Hicks. Place your right hand over your heart, 
pronounce your name, and repeat after me the oath of your 
office. I, Barbara Hicks, having been selected as a National 
Executive Committeewoman or alternate of this Auxiliary, do 
most solemnly pledge myself to faithfully and impartially 
perform in letter and spirit all duties of the office I am 
about to enter. I promise to obey the lawful orders of my 
superior officers and exact the obedience of others thereto to 
the best of my ability and means.
    When my successor has been duly selected and installed, I 
promise to surrender to her all the property of the 
organization in my possession, all of which I now affirm.
    You may lower your hands.
    Members, be seated. Delegates, members and guests, I now 
present to you the National Executive Committeewomen and 
alternates of the Disabled American Veterans Auxiliary. I trust 
you will aid them in their performance of their duties. With 
your help, their term of office will be highly successful.
    About face. [Applause.]
    Would the newly installed National Executive Committee and 
alternates please return to their seats.
    The national adjutant will now make some announcements.
    Adjutant Tedrow. [Lost and found announcement.]
    Yesterday, because of all--I was a little remiss. We do 
this every year, and I'm going to make an announcement, and 
then everybody's going to get up and say, ``Well, it's mine, 
too.'' But yesterday I was asked to announce that it was Jeanne 
Le Porte's birthday. Happy birthday, Jeanne. And I'm sure there 
are other people's birthdays in the room. Anybody celebrating a 
birthday today?
    Okay. Those celebrating a birthday today or this week, 
please get up and we'll sign ``Happy Birthday.''
    [Singing of ``Happy Birthday.'']
    Adjutant Tedrow. All right. Now for some serious 
announcements. We are going to immediately go into the NEC 
meeting in this room following the adjournment of this 
convention, and at that time, of course, your national officers 
will be installed, and I'm sure you want to see that and hear 
their remarks.
    To the national officers and the NECs--I hope you're all 
listening, national officers and NECs--you will line up for the 
Grand Ball in the Burgundy Room at 6:45. The presentation of 
the national officers and the NECs will be in the Grand 
Ballroom at 7:30.
    Fall Conference. Boy, it's closer than we like to think 
about it. Fall Conference is September the 26th through the 
28th at the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky. And the room 
rate is $74 plus tax, plus tax, plus tax. [Laughter.] And it's 
the same price for a single or a double. But, as you know, when 
we go to the Galt, you get a type of suite when you register, 
with a refrigerator and a table and a parlor, so it's well 
worth the rate.
    The 1997 National Convention, of course, is going to be in 
Las Vegas, Nevada. If you didn't lose enough money here, wait a 
while. You can lose the rest. Las Vegas, Nevada. And it will be 
the week of August the 16th through the 21st. I said if they 
keep getting any later, we're just going to adjourn the 
convention and go right into our Fall Conference right in the 
same hotel. Okay. Las Vegas, Nevada, August the 16th through 
the 21st at the Hilton. And it will be $85 plus tax.
    Also, if there are those that are to be proposed as 
chairmen or have been approached by our incoming national 
commander to serve a chairmanship for the coming year, we would 
like you to remain through the NEC meeting, please. Certainly 
would make it easier if we had your names, addresses, and could 
give you some information.
    That's it, Commander.
    Commander Hicks. Yes, Past National Commander Pearson?
    Mrs. Katherine Pearson. Barbara, fantastic! And you have 
been fantastic. On behalf of the past national commanders, this 
fantastic lady has proven her ability throughout the year and 
years before that. I've known Barbara for a long, long time. 
She has been fantastic. She hasn't changed. She's still as 
fantastic.
    And as members of your convention, the past national 
commanders would like to have you have this, and we're looking 
forward to you joining us. [Applause.]
    Commander Hicks. Thank you very much. Thank you, Past 
National Commander Katherine and all past national commanders.
    Adjutant Tedrow. Someone handed me an address if you want 
the name of the jazz band that played yesterday. I have their 
name and their address, and I was told to give it out. The name 
of the band, of course was the South Lafourche High School Jazz 
Band. That's spelled L-a-f-o-u-r-c-h-e. Okay? Post Office Box 
160, Galliano, Louisiana, 70354. If anyone needs the address, I 
have it up here in front. Thank you.
    Commander Hicks. Is there any other business to come before 
this convention? If not, at this time I will ask the national 
chaplain to give the closing prayer, at which time the 
convention will be adjourned. We will then go immediately into 
the National Executive Committee Meeting and the installation 
of new officers.
    After the prayer, would the pages please escort the 
dignitaries down front?
    Chaplain Gray. Would you all please rise and join hands? 
You know, if each of you could see what we see from up here 
when you're all joined hands as one and singing together, you 
would know why I have tried to continue this. And I'm going to 
ask you to do it one more time at the end of this prayer.
    God, please bless each and every member of this Auxiliary. 
Enhance our understanding of service and loyalty. Give wisdom 
to our leaders. Beside them, we'll unite. Protect them in their 
travels and guide them with Your light.
    [Singing of ``God Be With You Till We Meet Again.'']
    Chaplain Gray. Amen.
    Commander Hicks. The 74th National Convention of the 
Disabled American Auxiliary is now adjourned.
    [Whereupon, the meeting adjourned at 11 o'clock a.m., 
August 1, 1996.]

                                
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